A Girl Walked Into a Bar
by wannabewriter25
Summary: Sookie applied for a job at Fangtasia in the hopes that her telepathy could help her get into the supernatural world. It's what she's always wanted. Not everyone is on her side. She wants to be more than a barmaid. She wants something more exciting. She wants it all. She never thought that her new boss or her new job would give her the adventure that she wanted. OOC/AU
1. Chapter 1

**A Girl Walked into a Bar**

 **Sookie applied for a job at Fangtasia in the hopes that her telepathy could help her get into the supernatural world. It's what she's always wanted. Not everyone is on her side. She wants to be more than a barmaid. She wants something more, something exciting. She never thought that her new boss or job would give her the adventure that she wanted.**

 **AU/OOC**

 **You're Needed**

 **Here is the story that I've started on. There are only five chapters for now. I had been working on 'Killer' but I'm at a standstill. As I said in the A/N of Yours, I will try posting a chapter a week of this story so that I can at least get a chapter written until the story is done. I'll work on it on the weekends. Let me know what you think and I'll keep the story going. If the reception isn't good, I'll revamp and give it another try. Thank you all for reading my stories and giving me your time. I appreciate each of you dearly.**

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My night started just as it normally does; beers, fried pickles, and chili cheese fries. I was working my regular night shift at Merlotte's and it was busy. My usual customers were here for dinner and most of them must have had a great day because my tips were the best that they've been in a very long time. I hated that this was going to be last week working for Sam but I needed bigger and better things. I want bigger and better things and couldn't get those things working at Merlotte's. And I was more than willing to wait until next week for the bigger and better things to happen but my vampire associates had different ideas.

"You want your usual?" I asked Catfish Hennessey.

Catfish smiled at me. "You know that I do. I don't have to tell you what it is." A gleam then appeared in his eyes and I knew what was coming. He closed his eyes and said, "I want to add something extra; something that I've never had with my usual. Let's see if you can guess what it is that I want and it's not sour cream this time but be sure to add it. It's something different than sour cream. Alright, Sook," he exclaimed. He squeezed his eyes closed really tight and said, "Give it a go."

I laughed as I walked away and scribbled his order on my pad. "You don't have to close your eyes, Catfish. I can see it with your eyes open. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

Catfish laughed. _That girl is awesome_.

The thought made me smile. "I am quite an original aren't I, Catfish?"

"You sure as hell are," he yelled after me as I walked to the kitchen.

"Lafayette," I called out. "Catfish wants a big ol' bowl of your famous chili with cheese and a dollop of sour cream; extra spicy too. Oh, and instead of saltines, he'd rather try Ritz crackers this time." I placed the order in the ticket trolley.

Lafayette laughed as he twirled the ticket trolley around in his direction. "Did he send it to you with his mind again?"

I nodded and said yes. "He's always trying to see if I can really read his mind and I'm always reading his mind. Even though he tries, he can't hide anything from me no matter how hard he tries. He can barely hold his breath."

Leaning in through the window Lafayette said, "Maybe you ought to mess with him next time. Give him the wrong order and when he tells you that's not what he wanted, tell him that you saw it deep in his mind. You'll fuck his entire week up."

Though it was mean, I couldn't help but laugh. "I will not do that. That's just plain mean, Lafayette Reynolds."

Lafayette shrugged his shoulders and said, "I would get a kick out of it, though."

Before walking away, I shook my head at him and said, "I know that you would."

Just as I walked away from the kitchen, I walked smack dab into Pam. I stumbled when I bumped into her. She didn't budge. "Excuse you," I said.

"I don't understand that comment," she replied. "I have no reason to make excuses."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Forget it, Pam. What are you doing here?"

"You're needed," she said. "You are to start working tonight. You must come with me."

I laughed at her in her face. "I'm not going anywhere with you," I said. "I told Eric that I would come tonight to read over the contract but only after my shift and as you can see, my shift is not over. You can't just come in here and tell me that I'm needed and expect me to drop what I'm doing." I stepped around her and said, "Make sure that you tell your highhanded, a-hole of a boss that when you get back to the bar."

The corner of her mouth twitched. "I will tell him that and when I do, I'm going to make sure that you're standing right next to me." She followed me as I took a pitcher of beer from the bar and walked out to the gaming area.

"I'm not going, Pam," I warned. "I told him when I would be able to start. And if you must know, I'm training the new girl. I can't leave Sam hanging. Arlene didn't come in tonight and Holly had to leave early. There are only three other waitresses here and two of them are new. Here ya go, Hoyt." I placed his pitcher of beer on the corner of the pool table.

"Thanks, Sook," Hoyt Fortenberry said.

I slapped the edge of the pool table and said, "Anytime."

And once again when I turned around, there was Pam … in my face … waiting. "I've brought two of our Fangtasia waitresses with me tonight. They will work here until the others are cleared to work alone. I've already talked to Sam and he said that it's okay for you to come with me. Now go and get your things so that we can go."

I looked to the bar and there was Sam. He was talking to the fill-ins as he gave me the thumbs up to go with Pam. I looked at her and sighed. She's just as highhanded her boss.

"You have to come," she said. "We've had to … make some changes tonight and we need you. Eric needs you."

"No," I said as I stepped around her.

Her pink purse was hanging from the crook of her elbow. "I'll get Eric to double your pay for the night."

"I said no, Pam and I mean it. So don't ask me again," I warned her as I spun around and looked at her.

Pam's smirk was soon a full on grin. "You're feisty," she said. "I like that in my women and so does my master."

"I am not your woman," I exclaimed. And a little too loudly because some of the patrons stared at me over their beer glasses. "Pam, you've got to go, so go."

There's no need to tell you this but she ignored me. "I don't know what you've done to Eric with only the first visit but you have him mesmerized." She began to walk in my direction. "Come with me tonight. He needs you and he wants to see you."

I shook my head as I grinned and looked down at the ground. "You just don't give up, do you?"

Pam shrugged her shoulder and said, "Not when it comes to something that my master wants and what he wants is for you to work in the bar tonight. I'm not leaving, Sookie. I will be here to pester you until you decide to come with me. And if I have to, I'll wait forever; which unfortunately for you, is longer than your lifetime allows."

"Pam," I protested.

Pointing, she asked, "This is your section?"

"Pam, don't," I begged.

She began to walk to one of the tables and said, "I'll be waiting."

"Sook," Lafayette yelled. "Your chili is ready."

"Thanks, Lafayette," I called back to him. "I'll be right there." Turning back to Pam, I said, "Give me a few minutes. I have to let Sam know that I appreciate that he's letting me cut out early."

Dropping fang on me, Pam asked, "What changed your mind? Was it my sterling personality or the way that my smile reaches my eyes?"

"A little bit of both," I answered. Sighing, I said, "Give me a few minutes to get my last order out and check on my tables. And after that, you have to follow me home."

Fanging and grinning, she said, "I'll meet you at your car."

"Fine," I replied. "I have to go home and change first. It won't look too good if I go to work at Fangtasia wearing a Merlotte's uniform."

Pam silently agreed as she watched me walk away with a bowl of chili in my hand.

After giving Catfish his chili with the Ritz crackers and thanking Sam for letting me leave earlier than planned, I began to wonder if I'd done the right thing. I'll bet dollars to donuts that you're probably wondering what I'm second guessing. It's not that long of a story because nothing has really happened yet; not that I expect it to. Regardless of the blandness of it, I'll get you all caught up while I get ready for my new job.


	2. Chapter 2

**Being Me**

 **Thanks for the wonderful reviews. I hope that y'all enjoy where this story takes you. Thank you for the alerts, reviews, and favorites. And as always, thank you so very much for reading.**

 **The story idea is mine but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

 **Now, on to the next chapter.**

* * *

Thanks for waiting around while I showered and get ready for my new job at Fangtasia. I really appreciate it. I know that it had to have been a little boring sitting around here waiting for me to get ready but I'm back. It's going to be a long ride to Shreveport so sit back and enjoy the ride. I'm going to begin at the beginning. I'm going to tell you about the night I'd decided I wanted a little more out of life. It was on a Tuesday as a matter of fact.

I'd been serving your usual bar snacks and drinks. I was dealing with the same people. I'd been listening to the same jokes night after night after night. I laughed even though the jokes weren't funny and I smiled even when I didn't want to. It had become a habit for me … pretending to be content with a dead end job. I was tired of pretending.

That night after getting off of work, I went home to my grandparents' house (I'll explain that in just a few minutes. Just in hang in there.). I'd decided to look through the want ads to see what I could find. I was so excited at the idea of finding something new. I'd never been excited about getting a job until that night. I just knew that this new chapter in my life was going to be a great one. I, Sookie Stackhouse, was never going to be the same. My world was going to broaden even more than I'd ever thought possible. And I couldn't wait for that to happen. I needed a change. I needed a new life. I needed something more.

And to prove that, I'd found the job that I wanted. I was going to apply for a job at a vampire bar called Fangtasia. Maybe you've heard of it. It's the most popular vampire bar in Louisiana. It's also in Shreveport. From what I've heard, people come from all over just to say that they've been in this bar. And guess what? I applied that day and I was called back that very same night to come in for an interview. How wonderful was that? I was finally going to get the new life that I wanted.

As I said previously, I applied because I need something different; something better and exciting. Don't get me wrong. I'm not unemployed and I'm not desperate for the money; well I do need the money but I'll explain that later on. I have a job at a bar called Merlotte's as a waitress.

Silly me; you were just with me when Pam practically kidnapped me … my bad.

Anyway, Merlotte's was a lot more convenient for me because it's close to my home and I liked it there at the bar. Sam is a great boss and the pay was fairly decent. How many waitresses can say that they earn $15 an hour plus tips? Great, huh? I especially love some of the customers. I'd grown up with and around most of them. Some of them are old family friends and some of them are family. They are some of the best people you'll ever meet in your life … my friends and family, I mean. The problem for me was that I don't _love_ it at Merlotte's or _all_ of the people.

My differences have made it hard for some of the people of Bon Temps and some of the customers of Merlotte's Bar and Grill to accept me. You see, I've never been one to bite my tongue. I've never been the type to roll with the punches, to go with the flow. That just isn't my style. I speak my mind and that sometimes causes problems. The reason is because I'm telepathic. I'm telepathic and proud. I've never hidden my gift. I'm not saying that I'm rude with my gift and just invade the minds of others. I'm saying that if something is wrong or if something bad is going to happen, I do say something. I feel that I should. I can't sit by and let other people get hurt. That's just not my style. Some people appreciate it. Others don't.

Take my parents for instance. They believe that I should keep it quiet. They call it a curse. Pointless to say, I don't agree with them. I call it a blessing. This curse, as they see it, has saved my sweet, southern behind quite a few times.

For instance, one night after I was getting off work at Merlotte's, this guy was going to rob me. He'd noticed the tips that I'd gotten that night and he'd decided that he wanted a piece of the pie. He figured that since he didn't know me, I possibly wouldn't be eager to share so he was going to take my money from me.

Or so he'd assumed.

Because I knew ahead of time that he'd intended on robbing me, I was able to defend myself. As soon as I turned my back to him to open my car door, that jerk thought that I had my keys in my hand. Well, I didn't. I had my pepper spray in one hand and my taser gun in the other and I got him but good. I gave him a few extra sprays in his eyes and gaping mouth and a few extra shocks for good measure and I did all of this before I called the cops. He was in a lot of pain and he'd lost his sight for a couple of days but that was okay. I was cool with it. He'd tried to rob me of my hard, earned money. As far as I'm concerned, he got his just desserts.

Well, back to my telepathy and my parents. They hate it. They particularly hate it because I've decided to use my gift to my advantage. I've decided that I don't want to be a waitress for the rest of my life. I don't want to work around a town full of rednecks that are afraid of me. I want a better life. I want to move ahead. I want to walk on that yellow brick road for once. I think that I should have the chance to do just that. And if things don't work out as planned then that's on me. Let me try it just so that I can find out.

Do you get what I'm telling you?

Mama and daddy recommended that I go to college and get a real profession. I believe that if I can get work in the supe world, I'll make a lot more money than I would if I was a surgeon or a plumber. My parents didn't agree. They pitched a hissy fit when I told them of my plans. I mean it. My mama was screaming and yelling. My daddy just stood off to the side shaking his balding head in shame. My brother, Jason, told me that I needed to think about the family instead of myself. He was running his hands through his hair; looking as if he was deep in thought when he'd never been deep in thought in his entire life.

Me?

What was I doing?

I'll tell you what I was doing. I was smiling and standing my ground. "I'm going to see if I can find work in the supernatural world and that's that. It's not about any of you. I'm doing this for me. Can't you just be happy for me?"

They ignored my entire statement altogether.

Daddy asked if realized what I was doing.

Yes.

Mama asked if I was trying to humiliate the family.

No.

Jason asked why I was doing it.

"Because I have to," I replied. "Did either of you hear a word that I said? This is something that I've got to do … for me. It's not about you guys. It's about giving me a chance to live my life the way that I want to. I want my turn at bat and if I strike out, the least that I can do is say that I gave it a try. Let me have this."

Mama wouldn't hear of it. She said that she had a plan. She decided to call Gran and told her to hurry over. She had a Sookie problem that needed to be settled. She figured that she could use the fact that Gran and I are exceptionally close as a way to get me to change my mind. She said that if anyone could talk some sense into my fool head, Gran could.

She was wrong.

She was _so_ wrong.

Gran and Fintan, my grandpa, were proud of me. They've supported me in everything that I've ever wanted to do. Gran told mama that they should let me be me. They should let me discover the world that is waiting for a girl with my special talents. Gran and Fintan flanked on either side of me and put their arms around me. A united front, they said. It was a united front that angered my mama to her very core. She and daddy told me that if I do this foolish thing that they will cut me off financially. They would not help me under any circumstances. I needed to drop this foolish notion.

"Your father's career would suffer because of your actions," mama said. "His superiors are going to think that you may have had a hand in solving some of his hardest cases. He's a cop. You can't do this, Sookie. Think of someone other than yourself and your selfish needs. Let these foolish notions go."

Now that angered me. I'm always thinking of others and I've never been selfish a day in my life. My telepathy isn't a foolish notion. It's a part of who I am. It's me. It's my gift. It's what makes me special. _And_ I told them as much. I also told them to keep their money because I didn't need it. It's not like they're wealthy or anything. They need every dime that they can get their hands on; just like everyone else in Bon Temps. And I told them that I didn't need anyone in my life that couldn't accept me for me. I told them that I love them but I have to live for me.

"I'm sorry to hear that," mama said. "I think that it's best that you leave."

I looked at daddy to see if he'd say anything but he didn't utter a word. He didn't like what she'd said but he didn't go against her either. I wasn't too surprised. When it comes to mama, daddy's always on her side … even when she's wrong.

I looked at them both with tears in my and eyes and said, "I'm sorry that you feel that way."

After packing my clothes, I stormed out of their house and went home with Gran and Fintan.

And I've been there ever since.

That was two months ago and my mama won't accept my calls. My daddy sneaks and calls me while he's at work. We have lunch once a week; every Friday at 12:30 at Merlotte's.

Anyway, I've applied for the job at the vampire bar because I want to move to Shreveport. There's more to offer … better job opportunities for one. A lot more vampires live there too. Plus, I need to get out of my Gran's house. I can't stand another night of hearing her and Fintan having 'relations'. It's quite mind numbing and quite insulting since I've never done it. My Gran's getting more sex than I am and I'm 25 years old. How ludicrous is that?

Well, Merlotte's was a great place to work at first but I wanted more. And I was about to get it. I was getting a job at a vampire bar … Fangtasia … _the_ vampire bar in Shreveport … surrounded by vampires and fangbangers. And I was on my way there for my interview.

How freaking cool was that?


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, I'm Not Gonna**

 **Here is an extra chapter for the week. I had a late start at work today so I decided to edit this chapter as best as I could. If you find any errors, please let me know and I will fix them. I don't know how often I can post extra chapters but I'll do it whenever I am able. Please, if you're not clear on what's going on, let me know and I'll do my best to make it right.**

 **Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, alerting, and making this story a favorite. And as always I appreciate each of you.**

 **The story idea is mine but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

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There are still a few more miles to go before we get to the bar and a little more story to tell so don't get all bored on me. Sit back and relax so that you can enjoy a little more of my first night in a vampire bar. I'll be done before you know it. I'm sure that you have more than enough time on your hands. You're listening to my rambling, aren't you?

Good.

Now where was I? Oh yeah, let's get back to my first night at Fangtasia … interview night. Or as I like to call it, ' _meeting the others that were applying for the same job as I was_ ' night.

The bar was everything that a vampire bar should be. It was creepy and dark. There were tons of creepy and dark people running around and it was pretty cool. I'd never seen anything like it. The music was almost hypnotic. I got what I expected from the humans as far as dancing goes. Jumping and flailing around. Body parts all over the place but not the vampires. The way the vampires were dancing was otherworldly. Their bodies moved in ways that I'd never imagined. It was just what I'd expected. The only thing that really stood out was me. I didn't fit in. I was like a duck at a pigeon convention.

As I looked around the bar, I noticed that I really did stick out like a sore thumb. The two girls that came in just before I did, they were dressed like vampire knockoffs; dark black hair, black makeup with thick, red lipstick, pale skin, and the creepiest looking outfits I'd ever seen. Spikes, fishnet stockings, and leather; that's what I saw when I looked at them and everyone that was surrounding me. I know that I don't know very many vampires … well, I don't know any vampires but yet and still, I've never seen one that's dressed the way those people were dressed. When I've seen them on TV, they're always dressed so nice and neat. If I were a vampire, I'd have been mighty insulted. Would you want to be seen as cliche? I know that I wouldn't. I'd want to ...

It suddenly hit me and it hit me hard. I might not get this job. The girls that were there to be interviewed, they were dressed just like the patrons, even the vampires. I looked down at my pink halter dress with the white polka dots and I realize that I'm the only one that looks like she's going to a cotton candy social with the local brownie troop. My hair was hanging loose over my shoulders. My makeup was understated and I was wearing pink ballerina flats. After taking a really good look at myself, I realized that I really did look as if I'd been in the fight of my life with a cotton candy machine. Luckily, I'd escaped with my life and this outfit.

"Dang it," I whispered.

The two girls looked at me and rolled their eyes as they giggled. The skinnier one of the two thought that there's no way that the master was going to choose me. I looked like a Sunday school teacher with wide hips. Wide hips? I love my hips. There's absolutely nothing wrong with me. That stupid girl; she has no …

Wait.

What?

Did she really just think _the_ _Master_? She had to be kidding. They can't possibly call the head vampire Master. Can they? I looked around the bar and dropped my shields. OMG; everyone in there was wondering where the master was. It had to be a joke. It couldn't be real.

"Sookie Stackhouse," a lady called.

 _You've all met her not too long ago. She came into Merlotte's and interrupted my shift. Yeah, it was Pam._

"Here," I said when I spun around on my bar stool to look at her. There stood a beautiful, blonde vampire beckoning me to come to her. Even she was dressed like my competition. Thigh high boots, fish net stockings, and a tight, black leather dress. Her hair was styled in a sleek and modern fashion. And her makeup? It was flawless. She almost looked as if she didn't have any on.

"Dang it," I whispered once again.

She smiled at me.

As soon as I saw her, I just knew that I'd be going back to Merlotte's with my tail tucked between my legs. I didn't stand a freaking chance. Maybe I should move back home and do as mom said. I should just go to college and get a real job. There's no way in the world that I was going to fit in at this place. I'm too southern fried while this place is too rock and roll gothic. You know what I mean?

I sighed as I jumped down from my bar stool and smoothed down the back of my dress. I could've ran off and begged my mom's forgiveness. I could've gone home and told her that she was right and that I wanted to come back home but I didn't. No point, right? I may as well go with it. I'd come this far. I'm going to see it through. I'm no quitter. Gran and Fintan would've been ashamed of me. More ashamed than I would've been. I couldn't have that so I did what I had to do. I pressed my lips together in an attempt to freshen my lipstick. I'd even ran my fingers through my hair and smiled.

"How's my hair?" I asked when I reached her. "I was going to wear the pink head band but I like the white one better. What about you?"

A flash of amusement appeared in her eyes. "Quite nice," she answered. "I especially love the head band. The pink would have been just a tad too much. Too much pink in a vampire bar is never a good thing but I do love your dress," she added with a smile. "Pink is my favorite color."

"Thank you?" I kinda, sorta asked. I couldn't tell whether or not she was being sarcastic or if she'd truly meant it. Her face was as blank as her eyes. My friend, Tara, she told me that vampires don't have much of a sense of humor. Hmm; maybe she was trying to be funny. Maybe I needed to explain my choice of attire.

"I wore this because I wanted to look my best but after seeing what everyone else is wearing, it makes me wonder if I've made the right choice," I said. "Do I look okay?" I asked as I began to twirl around for her.

She smiled at me and said, "You look delicious." She then winked at me and dropped fang.

I smiled and cocked my head to the side and said, "Well, thank you." That time, I felt that she meant it.

"Follow me," she ordered.

I followed her through the bar and down a long hallway. As I took in my surroundings, she glanced at me over her shoulder. She was checking me out and had a smirk on her face. The look on her face made me feel kind of uneasy. Maybe she didn't like my look after all. Maybe she was playing me.

"Hey," I said as I stopped walking. Trying to keep my anger in check, I smiled my annoyed and irritated smile. It's the same smile that I use for some of the annoying and irritating customers at Merlotte's. "Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing? I thought that you said that I look delicious. Were you trying to be funny? I'd assumed that since this is a job interview, I needed to dress appropriately. My grandparents told me that I look adorable and professional. I didn't know that I'd have to dress like a cartoon character to get any respect around here. If that's a requirement, you should include that in the ad."

She stopped walking. She turned around and smiled broadly at me.

Now, I was really mad. Shaking my head, I said, "I'm not sure that this is the right place for me." Using my thumb to point in the direction of the bar, I said, "I think I'm going to go. I think that maybe I should go to another vampire bar for employment. Someone was telling me about a vampire named Victor Madden. From what I hear, he's hiring and maybe I'll fit in there. This may not work out for us."

I never got to walk away. I got to turn away from her but that's as much as I got to do. The vampiress stepped in front of me; at least I think she did. She moved so quickly that I didn't _see_ her move. "You don't want to work for Victor. He's an asshole and no one likes him. I guarantee that you're better suited for Fangtasia. Come," she said. "My master will like you." She licked her lips as she looked me up and down. "You're different." She turned away and began walking. "He has always had an affinity to the exotic."

"Exotic?" I asked. "Me?"

She nodded her head as she continued to walk. "You are." She then shook her head in pity as she glanced at me briefly. She even made the tsk, tsk noise.

Can you believe it? A vampire tsk tsk'ed me.

If she saw it, she ignored the look of surprise on my face as she continued walking and talking. "It's a shame that you don't know that. There's something about you, Ms. Stackhouse. The master will enjoy you. He will enjoy you very much."

I frowned as I let her lead me. I should've asked her what she meant by ' _enjoy you_ ' but I let that slide for now. We had more important things to discuss. "Why does everyone call him Master?"

"Because he is," the vampiress answered. "That's what the humans are expected to call him."

"You're not human," I said.

"Thank, God." She then rolled her eyes. "He's my maker which means he made me vampire. Calling him master is a sign of the utmost respect. Try it. You just might enjoy it," she said as we stopped in front of a closed office door. With her hand on the knob, she asked, "Ready?"

"Yeah," I said. I'd tuned out everything else that she'd said because I'm not going to enjoy calling someone master. I find it ridiculous. "But Master? Is that really what the humans call him?"

"Yes," she answered.

I shook my head no. "Well, I'm not gonna."

This time, she gave me a full on laugh. It looked out of place on her face but at least she really did seem to find me to be amusing.

She opened the door and there behind that door, stood the most beautiful vampire I'd ever laid eyes on. My goodness. I wish that you guys had been with me that night just so you could see him. You would lose your minds. I did.

"Jesus Christ, Sheppard of Judea," I whispered.

Pam may have been right.

Maybe one day I will call him Master.

But I doubt it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Arrogant A-Hole**

 **I can't believe the response to the story and I can't thank y'all enough. I wanted to try writing the story in a different style and I'm so glad that it's been met with great appreciation. Thank you so much. I also had to post the story today. Sunday and Monday are going to be my grieving day. I've taken those days so that I can grieve for whatever character from the Atlanta 5 meets his/her end. There's no way that I can focus when The Walking Dead is going to cause my such emotional agony.**

 **I'd like to say that all main characters, from the first chapter to the last, belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine. Enjoy, everyone! Have a great day and weekend.**

* * *

The sexy vampire was staring at me and he had a condescending smirk on his face. I could see that he was going to be a handful but I didn't mind it. I figured that I could handle him or at least I'd really like to give it that old college try. He is hot as fire and as dangerous as sin and by goodness, he knows it.

"Have a seat," the vampiress said to me as she pointed at the couch.

"Thank you," I said as I sat down. I ran my hand over the leather cushions of the couch and nodded before looking up at them. "Comfortable and quite nice," I said. I even bounced a little to show just how comfortable the couch actually was. "I've always appreciated a nice piece of furniture."

The corner of the sexy vampire's mouth twitched into a slight smile.

And I don't know what happened or what was said after that because I couldn't tear my eyes away from that tall drink of vampire that was standing in front me. He is so tall; at least 6'6 maybe. He has beautiful, long blond hair. His body is to die for and his clothes fit him perfectly. I'd never seen a man wear a pair of jeans the way that he was wearing his. Y'all should've seen him in those jeans. I think that I even drooled a little so I sneakily dabbed at the corner of my mouth for good measure. But his eyes, his eyes are his best quality. Those sapphire blue eyes are piercing. I could tell that he's seen and done so many things in his long life and I'd love to do a few of those things with him … but only if I was a different type of woman … but I'm not … so I won't. I may be on the outs with my parents but they did not raise a floosy. I can think all of the dirty thoughts I want … as long as I don't act on them.

Right?

"Mrs. Stackhouse," he said as to get my full attention. That sexy voice of his broke me out of my trance. I noticed that the still condescending smirk was on his face and it was getting broader by the second. He looked as if he knew what I was thinking. So, I cleared my mind and gave him my most comforting and polite smile as I sat tall on his very comfortable couch.

" _Miss_. Stackhouse," I said. "And that's me. How are you doing this fine evening, sir?"

He smiled at my greeting but didn't answer. "I see here that you're a telepath," he said as he sat down at his desk. "Very interesting."

"I am a telepath and quite interesting." I was still smiling and hopefully impressing him with my self-confidence.

That's when the vampiress sidled over to him and stood by his side. I couldn't believe what was happening and if I couldn't believe it, I know that you're not going to. They began speaking Swedish. Right in front of me. Obviously, they didn't get past the telepath part. They didn't know that I could understand every word that they were speaking. They didn't know that Fintan began teaching me foreign languages when I was a little girl. He said that because of my gift, I needed to learn them as soon as I was able. I have to keep myself safe, he said. And from the way things were working out tonight, I knew that he was right. Thanks, grandpa.

"Hon ärannorlunda," the vampiress said. (She's different.)

"Hurså?" he asked. (How so?)

The vampiress chuckled. "Detfinnsmer till henneänattvaraentelepat. Hon visaringenrädsla. Hon är stark ochmodig." (She's more than a telepath. She's strong and brave.)

The vampire looked me up and down as he spoke. "Kan hon lästevårasinnen? Kan hon lästesinnenvampyren?" (Can she read our minds? Can she read the minds of the vampire?)

The vampiress looked at me and licked her lips. "Med de tankarsom jag har haft ihenneikväll, tvivlar jag påatt hon kan. Jag hartänktpå de mångasättsom jag kanglädjahennemedan hon bär den klänningenoch jag troddedemallamedan du tittarpåhenne. Hon lätaldrigpåatt hon hördenågonavdem. Jag försökteattintetänkadem men hon serganskaläckra, gör hon inte?" (With the thoughts that I've had of her tonight, I doubt that she can. I've thought of the many ways that I can please her while she's wearing that dress and I thought them all while looking at her. She never let on that she heard any of them. I tried not thinking them but she looks quite tasty, does she not?)

The vampire agreed with her as his eyes travelled over my body. "Ganska," he answered. (Quite.)

The look that he gave me, made me shift in my seat.

The vampiress then closed her eyes. "Kan du luktardet?" she asked. "Hon äroskuld." (Can you smell it? She's a virgin.)

The vampire nodded. His nostrils flared as he looked at me. "Jag vill ha henne. Skicka de andraborta. Positionenharfyllts." (I want her. Send the others away. The position has been filled.)

Are you guys hearing this?

Can you believe that this is actually happening … and right in front of me?

Pam smiled at me and said, "Ta henne om du vill ha henne. Hon ärintekänt till människanellervampyr. Du kangörahennes din." (Take her if you want her. She isn't known to man or vampire. You can make her yours.)

I hate to say this again but …

Did she just say what I think she said?

I think that she did.

That b word.

"Okay," I said as I stood up from my seat. "I've had just about enough of this rudeness. What are your names?" I looked at the then unknown Pam and said, "I sure as heck would like to know since you two have clearly decided that he can have me if he wants me; which I DID NOT consent to, by the way. Who in the heck do you people think you are?"

Pam leaned back on her expensive thigh high boots and crossed her arms over her chest as she watched me. "You speak Swedish?"

"Uh, yeah," I answered. "And apparently, it's a good thing too. If you'd read further down on my application under other qualifications, you'd know that. I speak several different languages as a matter of fact."

They looked at each other with wide and amused eyes before turning back to me.

"Your names," I repeated.

The vampiress was tight lipped. She just looked at me. Determined to keep me in suspense.

The sexy vampire, on the other hand, decided to answer my question. "I'm Eric Northman. This is my child and co-owner of the bar, Pamela Ravenscroft."

"Pleased to meet you both," I said as I curtsied and smiled. Gran would have so proud of the good manners that I'd displayed. I know that she would have been very proud considering how angry I was. I then walked to his desk and stood there; a smile still plastered on my face. "What you two said earlier was quite rude and if you're going to speak about my virginal status, I should at least be a part of the conversation. And for future reference, my lack of a sex life is not on the table for discussion. If you want to know something, you need only ask. For example, I cannot read the minds of vampires. And shame on you," I said as I pointed at Pam. "Thinking nasty thoughts about me while I'm going to meet your boss for an interview," I whispered. "I'm glad that I couldn't hear them. I would have been embarrassed for the both of us. I would think that you would be just as embarrassed. I also think that you've been in this world long enough to know not to do that. That is not a very professional way for you to handle yourself at all. If I had good mind to, I'd report you to the local labor board for sexual harassment."

Again, the corner of Eric's mouth twitched into an almost smile.

"Didn't I tell you that she was different?" Pam asked as she tooted her own horn and completely ignoring everything that I'd said.

He continued to smile as he nodded.

I, for one, was still not amused. "You should both know better than to talk about people when they are still in the room too," I said. "You are _both_ old enough to know better and to have better manners. I'm sure your mothers taught you that before you were turned." I stood in front of his desk with my hands on my hips and stared them both down.

"You do realize that you are in a closed room with two vampires?" he warned me.

"So?"

He gave me a hearty and strong laugh. "Pam," he said once he'd apparently gotten over what he thought of as my comedic performance. "Do as I've said. Send the others away. I want to talk to Ms. Stackhouse alone."

Pam winked at me as she sailed out of the room.

Eric sat down at his desk and smiled up at me. "Have a seat, Ms. Stackhouse. We need to talk about a few things if you are going to take this job."

"No, thank you," I said as I politely declined his offer. "I'd rather stand, if you don't mind."

"Whatever you want," he said as he picked up my résumé and application. He nodded as he read over them. He even made a couple of unflattering faces. "You speak several languages. I'm impressed."

Are vampires deaf or what?

"As I've already pointed out," I reminded him. "And why are you surprised? I'm not some backwoods hick." I leaned forward and whispered, "I can also read. I'm starting to learn to ride my bike without training wheels … all by myself too. You should see me. My maw is going to start letting me ride past the driveway next week." I smiled as if I was extremely proud of myself.

"You're very sarcastic," he said.

"Only when I feel that I'm being insulted," I firmly replied.

"Fair," he said. He placed my papers back onto the desk as he leaned back in his seat. He stared me in my eyes as he talked to me. "Starting tomorrow night, you will be here every night at first dark; no later than 6:00. You will stay here until the bar closes; which is 3:00 am. You will be paid handsomely. The job was originally set to pay but $800.00 per week but because of your many talents and your divine sense humor, you'll have a salary of $2000.00 per week." He then leaned back in his chair and said, "You will sign your contract tomorrow night when you get here. I'll have my lawyer draw it up tonight." He gave me a final nod as if that was it.

He sure is bossy.

That's when Pam came back into the room. "The others have been told that the position has been filled," she announced. "They weren't pleased but who gives a shit, right?" Again, she winked at me but I was too pissed to acknowledge it.

"You jerk," I said as I glared at Eric.

Pam looked down at Eric and he looked up at her. With his arms folded over his chest, he asked, "Would you mind repeating that?"

"Yes, I would so I won't. Who do you think you are … ordering me around like that?"

Pam stood tall. She was completely surprised and amused.

"Mr. Northman, you don't ask me if I want the job. You _order_ me into taking the job. You are extremely highhanded and bossy. You haven't given any consideration to what I might want out of all of this. I don't think that this is the right place for me. I think that I will be leaving." I then nodded my head brusquely and stared at him. "It was a pleasure meeting you both." I turned to leave but was stopped by a hulking vampire blocking the doorway.

Eric gripped me by my shoulders and looked into my eyes. I could feel pressure behind them and this tickle in my brain as he began talking. "You will work for me. You will accept this job offer and you will start tomorrow night. You will also stop your insubordinate ways and do as you are told. You are not my equal and you will acknowledge that. Ms. Stackhouse, you will be mine. Are we clear?"

What the …?

"Let me go!" I yelled as I wriggled out of his grasps. "You should really be ashamed of yourself!" I smacked his arm as I stood toe to toe with him. "You tried to glamor me," I growled. "That's even ruder than talking about my sex life."

He looked at Pam and back at me. "You can't be glamored." It was kinda sorta a question but not quite.

"I cannot," I said as I stared him down. "My grandpa told me that my telepathy could possibly shield my mind from certain mind tricks that the vampires try to put on people. He was right … thank goodness." I scolded Eric with my eyes as I shook my head from disapproval. "You have no manners at all, Mr. Northman. My gran would tan your bottom if she knew of the antics that you pull."

Something flashed behind his eyes before he spoke again. "$3000 a week," he said. "Work for me, Ms. Stackhouse."

I cocked an eyebrow and patted my foot as I looked at him. "Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Yes, Master," Pam said from behind us. "Are you asking her or are you telling her?"

"Pam," he replied calmly, though I could see in his eyes that he wasn't calm at all. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply but he said nothing. He stood like that for quite some time … for a long time, as a matter of fact. He'd stopped moving completely.

I glanced at Pam. She looked at me and shrugged her shoulders.

I tapped his arm. "Mr. Northman?"

Nothing.

I tapped him again. "Mr. Northman? Are you there?"

Still, he said nothing.

"If you think that this is going to make me take the job, you're sorely mistaken," I said.

He still said nothing.

Oh, God. I've killed a vampire or something. Have any of you ever heard of this happening? I sure haven't. How I wished that you guys were with me in that office at that time. I didn't know what to do or to think. Sadly, I was on my own.

What have I done? Wait a minute. He's not dead, dead. If he was dead, dead, there'd be a bloody mess in this room. Maybe he's in a coma or something. Maybe I'd put him in a coma. I shook my head no but would that be so bad? He probably wouldn't be so bossy with me next time. And maybe he'll mind his manners. I glanced quickly at Pam and thought that maybe I should do the same thing to her. I unnecessarily shook my head no. If I did that, I'd be just as rude as they are.

Sighing, I said, "Ms. Ravenscroft, is he going to be okay?"

Pam shook her head no. Her normally blank face was reminiscent of how I imagined mine looked. "I don't think so. You've done something to him that no one has been able to do in a very long time. Eric is a very old vampire and when he gets like this, it's best to leave him alone for a while. He's extremely upset right now. He's not used to being denied." She then shrugged her shoulders. "There's no telling what he'll do to some poor, innocent human tonight to curb his anger."

My eyes widened and my heart began to pound in my chest. I turned to look at her to see if she was joking. Her face was blank and her eyes showed no sign of amusement. "Are you serious?" I asked her.

"I am," she said. "It rarely happens but when it does, he can be quite scary." She leaned in just a bit and said, "He even scares me when he gets like this."

"Oh, goodness," I said. Fright filled my eyes as I looked up at her. I can't bear the thought of Eric hurting someone because of something I said or did. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I can't let him hurt someone on account of me. What can I do?"

Pam patted me on the shoulder as if to give me a little sympathy and comfort. I appreciated it … a lot. "I guess you're just going to have make things right," she said. She unnecessarily sighed and said, "If you can. I really don't see that happening. You should just go home and let whatever happens happen."

Is she serious? How did she expect me to go home after hearing something like that?

"Mr. Northman," I whispered. "I'll take the job but as far as the hours go, I will set them accordingly. I also need medical, dental, and vision insurance. I've never really needed any of those things but it's always best to be prepared. I would also like to be reimbursed for mileage if I ever have to travel and drive my car. I want my weekends free but if I have to work on the weekends, let me know ahead of time. At least give me a couple of days' notice. And if I ever have to travel out of state on vampire business, I will not go alone. Either you or Ms. Ravenscroft will be with me at all times. Oh, and I have to work tomorrow night at Merlotte's. I'll put my notice in then. I want to finish out the week." I looked at Pam and said, "That's the polite thing to do, you know?"

She rolled her eyes at me again. "Yeah, I know. Is that all?" Pam asked.

"And I want the $3000 a week," I quickly added. "I can get my own place."

Pam chuckled. "Anything else?" she asked.

"I don't know," I said. "If there's more, will I be able to add it into the contract?"

"Maybe we can work something out," she said. "Do we have your word?"

"You do," I said as I nodded. "I always keep my word. You and Mr. Northman have my loyalty. I will be here to read over the contract tomorrow night but I have to finish out the week at Merlotte's. I have to work clear up until Friday. Sam is my friend and I can't leave him less a waitress." I looked at Eric again and asked, "Will he not hurt anyone tonight on my account?"

"Since you've given us your word, he won't," Pam said.

"Good," I said. "I'll take the job."

"Good," Eric said as he looked at me and smiled. "I'm glad that you see things my way."

I jumped when I heard his voice. That a-hole wasn't in a coma at all.

He continued to talk as I gawked at him. "The contract will be here tomorrow night. I'll call the shifter and let him know that you'll need tomorrow night off. I'm sure that he'll understand." He looked at me and smiled. Can you believe it? He had the audacity to smile at me.

My eyes widened. "You both tricked me! You tricked me!" I looked at Pam and asked, "How could you?"

She shrugged her shoulders and said, "My master wants you. I helped him get you."

"You cheated!" I yelled as I turned to Eric.

"So," he said. "Be here tomorrow at 6:00."

"You are an arrogant a-hole!" I yelled. "And I told you that I have to work tomorrow. I can't just leave like that. I can come after my shift is done so that we can go over the contract but not before that."

"Deal," he said as he winked at me. He stepped from in front of the office door and opened it. He held it open for me and smiled. "I will see you tomorrow night."

"Fine," I barked as I turned away from him in a huff.

Before I could leave his office, he said, "Ms. Stackhouse?"

"What?" I spat at him.

"I like your gumption. I could see your loyalty and your honesty as soon as you walked through this door. Your many talents are a plus but you, Ms. Stackhouse, are the reason you work for me." His face softened as he continued to stare into my eyes. "I didn't have to tell you that but I wanted you to know the true reasons you were hired. The job is yours if you want it. And yes. I am asking."

Pam crossed her arms over her chest as she stared open mouthed at her master.

And for some unknown reason, I believed him. It didn't hurt that those eyes had me. I stepped in close to him and looked up at him. I could see the centuries of an unchanged life in his eyes. I could see his honor and his loyalty. And in his eyes, I could see a lot more. I needed to know what it is.

"I want it," I said before I'd even realized I'd spoken.

He lightly brushed his hand across my cheek and said, "I'll see you tomorrow night, Ms. Stackhouse."

I backed away from him; my eyes still on him. "Goodnight, Mr. Northman."

As he closed the door, I blinked my eyes and shook my head several times when I could no longer see him. I chuckled to myself. I think he'd glamored me after all.


	5. Chapter 5

**Skills and Talent**

 **Hello, everyone. I hope that your weekend was a great one. Here is chapter 5. Hopefully, I'll have a short week and I can post another chapter. I would like to thank each of you for the wonderful reviews, favorites, and alerts. Thank y'all so much for reading my story. And for the reviewer that's worried that I'm going to have Sookie hear Eric with other women, I won't do that. It's never been one of my favorite go-tos for drama either. Happy reading everyone.**

 **Charlaine Harris owns the characters but the story idea belongs to me.**

* * *

I'm almost at the bar and my first night meeting with the vampires is almost over. There's just a little more story to tell and then I can find out the reason why it was so urgent for me to be here. Are you as excited as I am? I hope so. I hope that y'all stick around as my new life gets going. And you know what? Even though I'm pissed that Pam practically forced me to come to the bar tonight against my will, I can't wait to get there. Anyway, here goes the last bit of my story from the previous night.

Once Eric, Pam, and I were done, I went back out to the bar and those two girls were still sitting there. I thought that Pam said that they'd gone home. Maybe she'd hoped that they'd gone home. I wished that they gone home with the way that they were looking at me. I plastered a smile on my face as I walked in their direction. No point in being rude just because they were. "Hi," I said. "How's it going?"

The one that thought that I looked like a Sunday school teacher asked, "What have you done? Did you fuck the master in order to get the job?" She looked me up and down … not at all trying to hide the distaste that she apparently had for me. "You're dressed like my 10-year-old cousin. She wore that exact same dress to church on Easter Sunday and here you are wearing it for a job interview at a vampire bar. That's an outfit that you wear outside of a vampire bar … like at the library or to church on Easter Sunday. Not Fangtasia. You fucked him, didn't you?"

My mouth fell open from surprise. "How dare you say that to me! I got the job because of my skills and my talent. I would never lower myself to sleep with someone for a job. I value myself a lot more than that, thank you very much. I am a lady after all. You should not let your jealousy cause you to say such nasty things about someone that you don't know."

Her cohort decided to chime in and give her two cents worth. "I can only guess what your skills and talents are." She had the audacity to guffaw. Who does that?

I studied both of them for a moment before speaking. First, I gave my attention to the girl that insulted me first. "You, Liza," I began. "You came here to get the job because you want to meet a vampire that will turn you. You were hoping that Mr. Northman would hire you and like you. You wanted him to like you so much that he'd turn you and keep you at his side forever. You've done this with other vampires but they always send you away after they get what they want from you … blood and sex. You decided that you would change the way you operate this time and yet again, it still didn't work. And you call my integrity less than flattering. Maybe if you'd value yourself a little more, you wouldn't have such problems."

Liza's mouth fell open from shock.

"And you, Doreen, you just need a job. Your mother is ill and you need the money to help pay her medical bills," I said. I looked sadly at the girl. "I know of a place that's going to be hiring pretty soon and it's a waitressing job. He pays $15.00 per hour plus tips. It's a good job and he's a great boss. You'll be able to start tomorrow night if you want. It's a bar in Bon Temps and it's called Merlotte's. I'll put in a good word for you when I call Sam tonight; that's if you want the job. And I'll train you if I have to."

I waited for Doreen to respond but she didn't get a chance to.

"How did you … how do you …?" Liza stuttered.

"Skills and talent," I said as I tapped the side of my head.

"Thank you," Doreen whispered. Her embarrassment was clearly on her face. She was regretting what she said to me only moments ago. "Thank you so much." She took her purse from the back of her chair and put it on her shoulder. She reached over and gave me a shy hug. "You don't know what this means to me."

Smiling at her, I said, "I do."

"Tomorrow night?" she whispered.

"Yeah," I answered. "Here take my number and call me and I'll give you the directions then. And if need be, I can meet you somewhere to make sure that you get to your new job." I took a napkin from the bar and a pen from my purse and gave Doreen my number. I handed it to her with a smile. "And by the way. My name is Sookie Stackhouse."

She closed her eyes as she took it and her mind was filled with many thoughts of thanks and gratitude. When she looked at me, tears were rolling down her cheeks. "Thank you, Sookie," she whispered. "And I'm sorry for what I said. Please forgive me."

"It's okay," I replied. "I'm Teflon."

Doreen understood what I meant by that and said, "I guess you'd have to be."

A shrug of my shoulders was my reply.

Liza was about to say something else nasty to me but Doreen placed her hand on the girl's shoulder and said, "Congratulations. I'm glad that you got the job. It's obvious that you deserve it. Come on, Liza. Let's go."

As the girls walked away, I shook my head. I sat down at the bar and looked at the bartender and asked, "May I have cranberry juice, please?"

He looked at me and nodded. As he poured my drink, he asked, "So, you work here now?"

I nodded. "I do," I answered.

"Well, my name is Long Shadow. Very pleased to meet you," he said as he slid my drink to me.

Lifting my drink to him, I said, "Same here, Mr. Shadow. As you probably heard from Ms. Ravenscroft earlier, my name is Sookie Stackhouse. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

He laughed as he walked away and wiped down the bar.

As I sipped at my cranberry juice, Pam sauntered over to my side and leaned her back against the bar as she rested her elbows on it. "So," she began. "My master is quite taken with you. No one has ever spoken to him the way that you did … and left that office in one piece. Well, except for me but I'm his child and only I can get away with so much."

I rolled my eyes and said, "I find that hard to believe … that no one else has called him out on his bull hockey. Is he always a jerk?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Pam's face. "Yes," she said. "It's just a part of his irresistible charm. Anyway, when you get here tomorrow night, Eric wanted me to tell you to dress as you did tonight. He doesn't want you in a costume. He likes your look. He is pleased with your uniqueness." She looked me up and down and said, "Go figure."

"Hey," I exclaimed. "You told me that I looked delicious earlier. Boy, are you the fickle one."

"You do look delicious … very delicious," she replied as she licked her lips. "But your clothing choice reminds me of a librarian or a Sunday school teacher. The way that you are dressed now, is how I dress after work. I don't think that the look works here. Eric doesn't agree. He said that it doesn't work for me but it works for you. He said that no one wants to see a vampire dressed like a human with a civil service job."

"Twice in one night," I mumbled as I focused on the description of my outfit.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," I said as I fanned her off.

"Good," she said. "Be here tomorrow at 6:00."

I frowned and said, "I'm not working tomorrow night at 6. I'm coming to read over the contracts and that's it. I will be here after my shift at Merlotte's. I will start working here after my notice is up. I will not begin working here any sooner than that."

"We'll see," she said. She sailed away without saying another word.

We sure will, I thought.

I continued to sit at the bar as I stared out at the patrons. It's not a bad place. The patrons don't seem to be the cream of the crop but it's a job, right? And I've got my foot in the door when it comes to working in the supe world. AND I'll be making $3,000 a week. How sweet is that? I can move out of grandparents' home and out on my own. This is the best night ever.

Just as I put my glass to my mouth, I heard a male voice whispering in my ear. "May I buy you a drink?"

I looked at him and wasn't impressed. It had nothing to do with his looks either. He was kind of muscular and he was cute. He was handsome really. He had beautiful green eyes and I'm sure that his smile was just as nice but I couldn't tell. He was drunk and it was not very becoming. He could barely stand on his own and he had the courage to hit on me. What was I to do with a _boy_ like that?

"No, thank you. I'm driving home and I don't drink and drive. It's illegal. I don't believe in breaking the law," I said. "And I'm too cute to go to jail. I can't be some convict's girlfriend. And I've never seen myself as the lesbian type. That's just not in the cards for me. But thank you for the offer," I added once again.

The boy obviously didn't understand me because he told Long Shadow to give me whatever it is that I want. "It's on me," he said. "Give her whatever she wants. Price is not a concern."

I looked at Long Shadow and said, "Pull out your phone book and call the first jewelry store that you see and get the most expensive diamond that they have. I've always wanted a tennis bracelet."

The man's eyes widened with surprise. I thought that he was going to have a heart attack right there. "I meant I'd like to buy you a drink. I can't afford a tennis bracelet."

I rolled my eyes as I turned away from him. I looked at the bartender and I was in for yet another surprise. I never realized that vampires were so literal until I saw Long Shadow reaching under the bar for the phone book. I had to stop him to keep him from calling the jewelry store. "You don't have to really do that. It was a joke, Mr. Shadow," I said.

And he stared at me as if I was the crazy one.

Sighing, I said, "I don't want the drink or the jewelry, Mr. Shadow and sir, will you leave me alone. I am not interested in anything that you have to offer. Just let me sit here in peace and enjoy my cranberry juice."

"Come on, sweetie," he said as he placed his sweaty palms on my thigh.

I knew that I shouldn't have done it but I socked him right in the nose. "Keep your hands to yourself, sir. I am not accustomed to being manhandled. You will not touch me unless I give you permission and I did _not_ give you permission." I stood up from my seat and tried pulling my dress further down over my knees. "I will not be groped by you or anyone else, sir."

The sweaty yet muscular guy that smelled of liquor wiped at his nose and when he did, he noticed the blood on the back of his hand. I think that was the first time he'd ever seen his blood on his hands. I'm sure he's seen the blood of others on the backs of his hands and possibly on the fronts of his many ruined shirts but never his own. As I said. He's quite muscular.

When he looked at me, he was angry. He grabbed my arm with such force that he pulled me towards him. He drew back his arm and had his hand lifted in the air as if to slap me across the face. I'd braced myself for the sting of the slap and my knee was ready for its target but neither act of violence ever happened. There was Eric and he had his big, strong hand wrapped around the muscular drunkard's wrist.

"You do not come into my bar and attack my employees or my patrons and you will _never_ strike her," he said as he glared at the man. Looking at me, he asked, "Are you alright, Ms. Stackhouse?"

I nodded my head. "Other than my fist hurting from punching him in the nose, I'm good."

"He placed his hand on her thigh … her upper thigh," Long Shadow said to Eric. "He wanted to buy her a drink but she declined. He didn't seem to want to take no for an answer so he … manhandled her." He looked at me to be sure that he got that part right.

"You got it," I agreed.

Long Shadow nodded briefly as he talked to Eric. "He manhandled her. That's when she punched him. He became upset and was intent on causing her harm." He dropped fang as he looked at the drunkard. "I wouldn't have let that happen, Master."

Eric looked me and then at the drunken boy. Anger flared in his eyes. His fangs were in full view and I tell you what. This was the sexiest display I'd ever witnessed. "You touched her without her permission?"

The drunken boy shifted from foot to foot as he shook his head no. "I was only fooling around."

Eric smiled at the man said, "I understand. I like to fool around as well but only if I have the young lady's permission." He then looked at me. "And it is correct that you did not give him permission, Ms. Stackhouse?"

"You are correct, Mr. Northman," I confirmed.

"Long Shadow," Eric said as he eyeballed the guy. "Take this man out back and show him the proper way to behave when he comes into my bar."

"Gladly," Long Shadow said as he blurred from behind the bar. He grabbed the boy by the back of his shirt and provided him with a fangy yet scary smile. "Come with me, my new friend."

The boy never got to answer. Pretty soon, Long Shadow and the boy were gone.

Eric then stood in front of me and asked, "Are you sure that you're alright, Ms. Stackhouse?"

I couldn't speak so I nodded. I'd never seen anything so sexy in all of my life. The way that Eric had taken control was the most erotic thing I'd ever seen. And it turned me on.

A smirk appeared on Eric's face as he stared at me. He moved in closer to me and I swear I melted on the inside. "May I walk you to your car, Miss. Stackhouse?"

I eagerly grabbed my purse from the bar before staring at my hero. "I'd like that."

He offered me his arm and I took it without giving it a second thought.

It was quiet walk to the car. It was quiet but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was kind of pleasant. The night was quiet. The sounds of the bar were fading away. And to make things better, I glanced to my left and I was in awe of Eric. He looked magnificent in the moonlight. I stopped walking and looked at him as he walked ahead of me. "How long have you been a vampire, Mr. Northman?"

He stopped walking and looked out into the night. He turned around and looked at me. He said nothing.

I, at first, thought that I'd overstepped my boundaries. Fintan told me that vampires are very private beings. I thought that maybe he meant about the things that make them special. You know … like being allergic to silver or re-growing detached body parts. That their blood has healing properties. Those types of things. It never dawned on me that their age was that big of a deal but I wanted to know. I went over to stand next to him to let him know that I was only trying to be friendly but I didn't have to. He answered me.

"I'm over a thousand years old," he answered in a hushed tone.

"Wow," I said. "You've seen a lot, haven't you? I'll bet that you've been all over the world. I'll bet that you've done more things than I could ever imagine."

"I have," he agreed. He stared at me for a long moment before speaking again. "You are but a child to me."

"I guess I would be." Though I'm in my twenties, I understood what he meant. I looked at my car and sighed. "Do you like being a vampire?"

A look of curiosity danced through his eyes. "Why do you ask, Ms. Stackhouse? Do you want to become one?"

"Not really. I like who I am. I'm just curious, is all," I answered. I walked to my car and leaned against it as I stared up at Eric. "I figured that since you're the first vampire that's been willing to open up, I'd ask." Then I chuckled. "To be honest, you and Ms. Ravenscroft are the first vampires I've ever met. And you're a lot more open than she seems to be. So, do you like it?"

"I do," he said. "In the beginning, it was a life that I did not expect but it is more than I could have ever imagined. May I ask you a question, Ms. Stackhouse? That is if you don't mind."

"Sure. You can ask me anything that you want. I have nothing to hide. I'm an open book. And, you can call me Sookie."

He blurred to where I was and was soon standing nose to nose with me. "What are you?"

At first didn't know what he meant. I figured that he was trying to be funny but I could see that he wasn't trying to be funny. He really wanted to know and I really wanted to tell him. I was going to lie to him but I thought better against it. I didn't want to start off my relationship with my new boss on a lie. He'd never trust me. And I how could I have blamed him, you know?

I cocked my head to the side as I stared up at him. "I'm part fae. My grandfather is a faery and he married my grandmother. My dad is their son. My mom is all human. I get my extra from my grandfather … not my telepathy though. That comes from somewhere else because no other faery can read minds. I've yet to learn from whom I've inherited this gift."

Eric stepped in closer to me. He tilted my head to side and pressed his nose against my neck and inhaled deeply. I think that I should've been afraid but I wasn't. The thought of being scared of him never entered my mind. Not once. I remained still and let him smell me. He lifted his head slightly and began to smell my hair. And still, I didn't move. He finally whispered in my ear. "Are you afraid of me, Sookie?"

I shook my head no. "I am not."

I could feel him smiling against my hair. "I'm glad to hear that." With that said, he stepped away from me. And then he did something surprising. He offered me his hand. "Goodnight, Sookie, and I shall see you tomorrow night."

"After my shift at Merlotte's," I added.

He laughed but didn't agree with my statement.

I shook my head and his hand and said, "Goodnight, Mr. Northman. It has been a great pleasure talking with you tonight. I hope that we can do it again."

He gave me slight nod as he opened the car door for me. Once I was inside and buckled in safely, he closed the door and waited. I guessed that he was waiting for me to crank my car so that I could go home but you know what? I didn't want to go home. I wanted to stay at the bar and talk to him. I didn't want to kiss him, though it would have been nice. I didn't want to jump his bones as the others as the bar seemed to have wanted to do. I just wanted to talk with him. I wanted to get to know him.

I rolled down my window and looked up at him. "Until tomorrow, Mr. Northman."

I drove away with the vampire staring at me through my rearview window.

I knew at that very moment that I was going to love that job.


	6. Chapter 6

**6**

 **My First Night**

 **I apologize for not posting earlier this week. We had a death in the family and things have just been so hectic but I'm back now.**

 **Thanks everyone for reading, reviewing, and alerting. Y'all keep me writing. I wish that I could put more focus on this story. I hate that I have to keep everyone waiting for so long in between chapters.**

 **Melody: She's not pulling a Sookie move by staying at Merlotte's. She's finishing out the week. She's still Sam's friend and she doesn't want to leave him high and dry without a fill-in. She's done with Merlotte's and she's moving on to bigger and better things. I assure you. She's not going to remain a barmaid forever.**

 **As always. I hope that each of you enjoys the story. The characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine.**

* * *

And now here we are. My first night at work. I know that I pretended to be upset about being forced to come here. I need to admit a little something. I'm not upset at all. I'm excited to start working here. I can't wait to do what I do best but before I can, I need to see why Eric was so determined to get me here. It had to be important for him to want me here so urgently. Maybe he needs my skills. Or maybe, he just wants to talk like we did last night. That could be possibility.

As I looked around the bar, everything looked fine. Things looked just as they did last night. There weren't any bad thoughts floating through the air. People were obviously here to have a good time. I have a strong feeling that I've been played by those two vampires once again. There's only one way to find out why I'm here three days earlier than I'm supposed to be.

And from the way I was being manhandled, I was pretty sure that I was about to find out why I was here a lot sooner than anticipated. Pam was dragging me down the hall behind her at a speed that was way too fast for me. I could swear that I was floating down that hallway.

"I told you that I would get her here. I expect to have my shoes by dusk tomorrow night," Pam said as soon as she opened the office door. She soon had a prominent smirk on her face. Pushing me in the office, she said, "She also told me to give you a message. You're an asshole that is high handed. She is not at your beck and call. You don't order her around. And you're a jerk." Her eyes were filled with amusement when she looked at me. "That is what you said, is it not?"

Glaring at her, I nodded. "Not exactly like that but almost."

"I have relayed your message and now I must go. Good evening," she said. And without another word, she pushed me further into Eric's office and slammed the door behind me.

"Why am I here?" I asked Eric as soon as I saw him. "I thought that we had an agreement that I would be here after my shift at Merlotte's or was I mistaken?"

Smiling at me, Eric said, "After out little chat last night, I couldn't wait to see you."

And I almost believed him. That is until I saw that twinkle in his eyes.

He leaned back in his chair as he rested his feet upon his desk. "It's a pleasure to see you this evening, Ms. Stackhouse. I'm glad that you decided to begin working with us a lot sooner than you'd planned. It pleases me. An employee that goes above and beyond the call of duty always pleases me. I can see that we are going to have a wonderful relationship."

And guess what? His smile broadened.

Pointing at myself, I clarified, "I didn't decide. You and your sidekick out there, decided for me. I wanted to finish out the week with Sam. It's only three days. I mean that's the least I could have done since I'm quitting." I crossed my arms over my chest as I glared at him. "I don't know why I decided to work for you. We haven't even signed the contract and you're already dictating what I'm going to be doing. The contract isn't even really going to matter, is it?"

Eric removed his long limbs from the top of his desk and stood to his full height. As he walked around the desk and leaned against it, he said, "The contract will stand. You have my word and you know why you decided to work for me. _I_ know why you decided to work for me. I could see it in your eyes when you walked into my office. You want this life. You're tired of the mundane and you want excitement. You crave it." He was then standing in front of me. Very close to me. "And everything that you want, Ms. Stackhouse, I can give it to you. Do you want it, Ms. Stackhouse? Do you want what I can give you?"

"No," I whispered. "I mean yes. No?" I wasn't too sure of what was going on or what I wanted. I just knew that this tall drink of vampire was getting to me.

He leaned down and his mouth was thisclose to mine. He hovered over me but never made a move. "Are you _ready_ for this life, Ms. Stackhouse?"

I swallowed the huge lump that had suddenly appeared in my throat. Even after swallowing it, I still couldn't speak so I nodded.

Eric gazed into my eyes as he smiled at me. And only seconds later, he moved away from me so quickly that I jumped. "Good," he said as he clapped his hands together. "Have a seat and we'll go over this contract together. Let me know what you like and don't like and we'll make the proper corrections."

I stared at the back of his head as he walked away. No guy, man or vampire, has ever made me forget myself the way Eric does. I've only just met him and I wanted to get to know him. I want to know what his life is like. I want to know he likes to do, where he likes to go. What his hobbies are; especially after what happened last night. I really enjoyed his company. But Tara warned me that it's best to keep my relationship with my boss professional and she's right. After she started sleeping with Sam, things for them changed. And Eric and I could possibly become friends. I don't want to ruin that by doing something crazy. I'd still like to get to know him but the job comes first. It must always come first.

So I did what I had to do. I pretended that he had no effect on me. I took the seat that sat in front of his desk as I daintily crossed my legs and waited.

"I like that dress," he said as he took his seat. "Though it is of poor quality and is less than what you deserve, it is becoming on you."

Did he just insult my clothes with a compliment?

I looked down at my blue gingham checked sundress. I know that it's no Vera Wang design but darn. "Thanks?" I said.

He slid the stack of papers that were in front of him to me. "This is for you," he explained. "Everything that we discussed last night is in here. Your pay. The benefits that you are entitled to. The need to have me with you at all times if you have to travel for the job. It's all in the contract. I left nothing out."

I frowned as I picked the contract up from his desk. "What about Pam? Will she ever travel with me or is it just going to be you?"

A flash of something appeared in his eyes but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "There will be times when she will accompany you … if that is what you prefer."

"Good," I answered as I glanced over the contract. "She may be a trickster but I like her."

He said nothing.

I continued to glance over the contract. Though I understood some of what was in it, I needed someone else's opinion before signing it. "Okay," I said as I looked up. "But before I sign this, I want to have someone read over this for me. He's really good with this type of thing. He also suggested that I not sign anything without him reading it first. My grandpa is very thorough and he wants to make sure that I'm going to be protected. Are you okay with that, Mr. Northman?"

"I am," he assured me. He looked as if he wanted to say something but he stopped himself. "And when we are alone, you can call me Eric. When we are with others, you will call me Master."

That angered me beyond reason. I didn't want to call him Master. I didn't feel that it was fair for me to have to call him Master. I was going to let him have it but I didn't do that. I swallowed down my disdain and agreed to what he'd said. Grandpa said that it's a necessity that I show Eric the utmost respect; especially when we are with others. "Okay," I said as clearly as my voice would allow. "I will call you Master in front of others. That will not be a problem."

If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that he was shocked. I could only guess that Pam told him what I'd said the of my interview. He cocked an eyebrow and nodded his approval. "It's imperative that you do that when we are around other vampires."

"I understand," I assured him. "I know that it's a sign of respect and I have no problem with doing that."

I guess Pam's going to have a field day with that. My ' _I'm not gonna_ ' statement was just a dream.

He rested his arms on his desk as he stared at me. "I appreciate your willingness to do as you're told." He stood up from his seat and crossed his arms in front of him. "You are one of the few that's allowed to call me Eric but you can only do so when we're not in the company of the important supernaturals in our world. Unless circumstances change, you are to never call me Eric in front of them."

Privilege?

Really?

And why would circumstances change? How would they change? I guess that's something that I will ask him later.

Still, I didn't complain. "I can do that. That will not be a problem."

Smirking, he asked, "You have no problem with that?"

He knew that I did but I shook my head no. "I do not, Eric."

His eyes smiled this time as he spoke. "I like the way my name rolls off of your tongue, Sookie."

His smile was infectious but I remained cool Sookie. I didn't react to it at all. I just wanted to leave. I was mad as hell about having to call him Master and I wanted to go home. I was tired. I'd worked a long shift at Merlotte's and I needed a long hot bath and good night's rest. I took my contract from his desk and said, "If we're done here, Mr. Northman, I'd like to leave. I have to get home. I have other plans which you'd rudely interrupted when you had Pam kidnap me."

Bathing and sleeping are plans. They're not big plans but they're plans just the same.

His face was soon harder than previously was. "No. You will not go off to meet your man."

What?

Before I could reply to him, he continued on with his angry rant.

"You are to work here tonight," he exclaimed. "I sent those waitresses to the bar to fill in for you so that you could work here. Not go out on dates. I want to put your skills to use for at least an hour or two. I'd like to get a feel of what you can do. That is why I sent Pam for you. I need to test the service for which I'm paying. I'll meet you at my table in five minutes."

"Is that why I'm here?" I asked. "There's no big emergency? Nothing has happened?"

He propped his feet upon his desk and crossed his hands behind his head.

I don't know why I believe anything that they say to me. They're both a-holes. "You make me so mad," I declared.

"Meet you out there in five," he repeated.

"And," I said. "I didn't have a date, Mr. Know-it-all." I stomped out of his office and slammed the door behind him. I walked down the hall and back into the bar as I looked around for his table; which wasn't really a table. It was a booth. I knew which one was his without needing to be told. It was the only booth in the bar that was empty and sitting underneath a bright light. I could only assume that the bright light was so that he could be seen by everyone that walked through the doors. He needed to be seen as the biggest and baddest thing in the bar.

"Arrogant jerk," I mumbled.

And I did just what I was told to do. I sat at the booth and waited for him. I read the minds of the people that were in the bar. No one was thinking of anything that was important. Not at first. At first I just heard thoughts of sex, sex, and even more sex. Then this guy walks into the bar and he looks right at Pam. He didn't look around the bar at any of the patrons or the other vampires. He set his sights on her. She was leaned against the bar talking with Long Shadow. They appeared not to have noticed him. I couldn't help but notice him. He was broadcasting loud and clear. He pulled a picture from the inside of his jacket pocket. He glanced at it before putting it back.

 _She must be Pam. She's the one. She's the one that he wants._

I leaned in closer as I stared at the man.

 _Whatever he wants, he will get. My master wants her_.

I got up and eased my way to the table closest to the booth. I needed to get a better look at that guy's face. I studied his face but he wasn't someone that I've ever seen. He doesn't really stand out as far as looks go. He looks like your typical Joe.

Where is her maker?

It then dawned on me. If I could just get a little closer to him. If I could just brush against him, I could see. I just needed to see.

 _I can take her._

He was thinking about when he'd make his move and I didn't have time to waste.

"Pam," I whispered as I went back to the booth. I needed to get her as far away from that man as possible.

She turned to look at me. I motioned for her to come to me. I made sure to look fearful. My eyes were wide and my heart was pounding in my chest. "Come to me," I whispered. "Hurry."

She looked at me. Long Shadow didn't even look in my direction. I guessed his vampire hearing was on the blink. Pam blurred herself to where I was. The guy took the first seat that he saw as he watched her blur away.

She sat down next to me and stared at me.

"I know that you lied to get me here," I said. "And I should be so mad at you but I'm not. I'm glad that you lied because tonight, you need me. Do you see that guy over there? The one with the spikey hair and wearing the black lipstick?"

"Which one?" she asked as she looked around the room.

"The one with the piercings in his lips, eyes, and nose."

Her eyes were trained right on him. "I do."

Before telling her what I heard, I had to make sure that it's safe. There were several vampires out here with us. And grandpa warned me about vampire hearing. They can hear everything ... or so I thought. Long Shadow didn't even hear me calling for Pam. "Is it okay to speak business out here?" I asked. "Do we have to go somewhere private to talk?"

"It's safe," she said. She pulled me close to her and not in a sexual way. I could feel her body stiffen when she went on alert. "This area is spelled. No one outside of this table, except for me and Eric, can hear what's being said. What do you know?"

"Do you know that guy?" I asked.

She began to caress my cheek. I'm thinking that it's to make people believe that we are lovers. Maybe to throw them off somehow. I was cool with it. Just as long as she remained professional. "I do not."

"Stay calm but he's here to take you."

Pam immediately dropped her hand from my cheek but began to run her fingers through my hair. "What did you hear?"

"His thoughts were that you're the one that _he_ wants … his master wants you," I answered. "I don't know who he is but I can only guess that his master is a vampire. Either way, he's come for you. Before tonight, are you sure that you've never seen him?"

Pam glanced at the guy from the corner of her eye. "I have not," she said as she smiled. "Come. We must tell Eric." She gripped my hand but we never got to slide out of the booth.

Eric was glaring down at us and he was pissed. I can only guess that he'd heard what Pam and I had said.

"What the fuck is going on here?" His eyes were icy and cold as he stared at me. Maybe I'm supposed to be sitting on the opposite side of the table or something. Maybe he overheard me telling Pam what happened and he wanted to be the first one to know. But that's not how this works. She was here and she needed to know what was going on.

Pam stood from her seat and forced Eric to sit in her vacant spot. She pushed me and Eric together. I thought that she wanted me tell him what I'd told her. I was wrong. She was in the mood for playing games. "Master," she said. "Sookie has something to tell you and you need to listen to what she has to say."

I noticed something in her eyes and I didn't like it. I shook my head no. "What are you ...?"

"I think she has a little crush on you," she said. "She told me that she'd like a little kiss before telling you what have a right to know. Can you believe it? She's trying to bribe you."

I was so embarrassed. I began to shake my head rapidly. I wanted Eric to know that I never said any of that stuff. Pam was lying on me. "Master," I began. "I never said that. I would never bribe you with a kiss. That's not what I'd do."

Eric lingered over me as his arm went around my waist. I wish that I had come up with the idea to bribe him with a kiss but I'd never do that. If I'm going to let him kiss me, it's going to be a real kiss. It's going to be a kiss that he's never going to forget. I may be inexperienced but I'm sure that when I give myself to Eric, I'm going to be the last woman that he'll ever want to touch in his entire existence. I guarantee it. When the time comes, Eric Northman will be mine. But tonight is not the time.

"Pam has obviously told you an untruth … a big, fat lie." I glared at her before speaking to Eric once again. "And, Master, my first kiss won't be in a vampire bar with others sitting around watching us," I said. "When I let you kiss me, Eric, it won't be in here and it won't be in front of others."

His fangs dropped in place as he gazed into my eyes.

I gently pushed against him as to get my bearings. "We don't have time for Pam's games, Master. We have work to do."

His fangs snicked quietly back into place. "You are correct, Sookie. Tell me what you have learned this evening."

"There's going to be trouble in your bar tonight. Look at that man across the bar," I ordered. "He's wearing the lipstick and has the piercings in his face."

Eric glanced to his left quickly before looking at me.

"Did you see him?"

He nodded his head yes.

"He's on a mission."

That's when Pam slid in next to me. She placed her hand on mine but quickly removed it when Eric growled. You heard me right, ladies. Eric growled and his grip on me tightened. Maybe he's the one with the crush. "Forgive me, Master," she mumbled. "Sookie's gift appears to be quite magnificent. She has been on the job for no more than ten minutes and she's already earned her wage."

Eric released me but gazed deeply into my eyes. I think that he wanted to kiss me.

"Come," Pam said. "Let us speak in your office, Eric."

Eric walked ahead of us … with my hand in his. Pam trailed behind us.

Once the door to the office was closed, Eric and I stared at each other. Oblivious to the fact that Pam was in the room. I've been around men before in my life but I've never felt such an attraction to anyone like this. I don't know what it is about him. I know very little about him. Why am I attracted to a man that is a stranger to me? He could be a serial killer for all I know. That's more than likely a given since he's a vampire.

"Sookie!" Pam yelled. "Tell him."

"Oh," I said as I shook myself out of my reverie. "There's a man out there that came here to get Pam. He said that _he wants her_. He said that his master wants her. Do you have any idea who his master is? I tried searching his mind but I saw no face. I can't see faces unless I'm touching the person that's having the thoughts."

Eric was instantly on alert. "Did you get his name?"

I shook my head no.

"We need to go back out there," he said. "We can't let him get away."

"I'll be back," I said. I didn't wait for a reply. I walked out into the bar and there he was. He was looking past me and down the hall to Eric's office. I leaned onto the bar and smiled at Long Shadow. "Cranberry juice," I said.

"Sure thing," he said. He was staring at the guy as he poured my drink. As he slid it to me, he asked, "Did you hear something? Is that why you three went back to the office?"

I wasn't sure of what to tell Long Shadow so I didn't tell him anything. I kept it light and simple. "No. I haven't heard much tonight. I do see a couple of people that I'm a little leery of. Do you see that guy right there?" I asked as I looked at Pam's would be attacker. "I don't trust him. I'd like to ask him a few questions." I added two other people for good measure. I pointed at two girls that were thinking that they could sleep with Eric. They did nothing wrong but still, their thoughts bothered me. "What about those girls right there. Have you ever seen either of them in here before tonight?"

Long Shadow shook his head no. "Not once," he clarified.

"Hmmm," I said. "I'd like to question them. It's nothing major or anything like that. It could be nothing. I think they're just rubbing me the wrong way. I need to question them to be on the safe side. Think you can get them for me and tuck them away somewhere so that I can get a feel on 'em?"

A look came over Long Shadow's face that scared the hell out of me. "I think that I can."

"Don't hurt them," I hurriedly added. "They haven't done anything. Not yet."

He smiled as his fangs slid down. "I won't hurt a hair on their human heads."

I smacked the bar and grinned. "Thanks for the drink," I said before returning to the office.

When I walked into the office, Eric and Pam were on their cell phones. They were talking a mile a minute and in decibels that I couldn't hear. And I was fascinated with them. Even after what I'd told them, neither of them looked the least bit concerned about it. They looked so calm and at ease. This guy walks into this bar and is after Pam and it's as if it's no big deal. They don't know who he is or what he wants and they're not worried. Soon, I began feeling things that I'd never felt in my life and I knew exactly what they were. Fun. Awesomeness and adventure. Fearlessness and fight. Determination and will. These are things that I've been missing _in_ my life. This was fascinating.

I was made for this life.


	7. Chapter 7

**7**

 **Best Job Ever!**

 **Hello, everyone. I hope that everyone is well. I may not be able to post until late next week because we are cooking Thanksgiving dinner for thirty people. It's going to be a big one. Thank you for your condolences and well wishes. I hope that each of you enjoy the chapter. Thank you for your reviews, favorites, and alerts. The story idea is mine but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

 **I hope that each of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving or any other holiday that you may celebrate. Thank you all.**

* * *

I sat on Eric's couch and waited for him and Pam to get off of their phones. Though my parents and I are on the outs, I will not do anything to embarrass them. Well, as far as manners and respect go. So, I waited for them to give me their undivided attention. It gave me a chance to think about what I'm doing with my life and if I'm doing the right thing. This job is definitely going to be dangerous. It's going to test my very limits. My first night and I'm already under the task of solving a mystery. Nothing like this has ever happened at Merlotte's and I'd worked there since I was twenty-one. I've caught a would be thief but nothing of this magnitude. I can't wait to find out what this guy is up to. I'm so excited!

Hmmm. I guess I have my definite answer. I am doing the right thing.

"This is so cool," I mumbled.

When I looked up, Eric and Pam were watching me. Pam looked as bored as ever but Eric had a ghost of a smile on his face. He looked completely amused by me. He had that same look on his face as he talked with me last night out in the parking lot. And just like that, I got a flash of his mind. He was thinking of me.

 _I want her_.

Did I just read the mind of a vampire? My grandpa told that couldn't be done. He said that they're dead. They don't think as we do but I read Eric's mind. How is that possible? It then dawned on me that if he finds out, Eric would more than likely kill me. Vampires are fiercely private. And there he was staring me. I had to cover so that's what I did.

I suddenly had my Merlotte's smile on my face as my body tensed. "What's up?" I asked.

He must have noticed the change in me because he frowned. "What is wrong?" he asked as he sat next to me.

"Nothing," I said. "Nothing at all."

I could tell that he didn't believe me but he continued on as if everything was okay. "What is so cool?" he asked me.

"This," I said as a genuine smile began to appear. I decided to be kind of honest with him and tell him some of what I was feeling. "This job is so cool. I know that I haven't done anything just yet but this is so cool. I'm so glad that you hired me. Thank you for this opportunity, Eric. Even though you're a bit highhanded, I can't thank you enough for letting me work here."

He said nothing as he continued to stare at me. And knowing that he wants me, made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Maybe I shouldn't have said what I said about letting him kiss me later on. I hope that I didn't appear to come off as forward. I think that I should've taken Tara's advice to keep things professional. Things appear to be a bit awkward but more than likely, it's me that's feeling awkward. A vampire like Eric has kissed many women. Tons of women. Kissing me wouldn't be that big of a deal to him. I'm nothing special. I'm a virginal telepath that has practically promised a vampire that he'd be her first kiss.

"Oh, God," I moaned.

Why did I say that? Why couldn't I just keep my big, fat mouth shut and just done my job? You want to know why? I'm stupid, that's why. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

I covered my face with my hands and dropped my head. "Dang," I whispered.

"Sookie?" Pam said. "What is wrong with you? Are you going to answer our question or not?" She began patting her foot. "I hope that your telepathy isn't on the blink."

"It's not," I said. "It doesn't go on the blink. I always have it."

Pam rolled her eyes up toward the ceiling. "Will you answer the question?"

I looked from Pam to Eric and had no idea that I'd been asked a question. Maybe that's why he's staring at me. He's waiting for me to tell him what happened with that guy. And I'm thinking about a kiss that hasn't even happened yet.

"What did you ask me?"

Pam placed her fore finger and thumb on the bridge of her nose before answering me. "Is he still here?"

I sighed as I answered her. "He was still out there."

Eric stood up from the seat next to me and that's when I knew. The idea of kissing me had nothing to do with him sitting beside me. I'm sure that he and Pam played that game with quite a few women. "Go and get him," he ordered Pam. "Take him downstairs."

"You don't have to do that," I said as I shook my head no. "I told Long Shadow to take him somewhere so that I could question him. I didn't want him to get away before we had a chance to find out what he's up to. That would defeat the purpose of reading their minds. And don't worry," I added. "I didn't tell Long Shadow that anything's up. I didn't know if you'd trust him with information like that. For all I know, he could be in on it. So to throw him off, I had him take two of the girls with him."

Both vampires had blank looks on their faces. I couldn't tell if I'd done the right thing or not. They are so hard to read. Well, not when I'm reading a vampire's mind … accidentally.

I raised my hands in the surrender motion. "Was I not supposed to do that?" I stood up from the couch and smoothed down the back of my dress. "I can go out there and tell Long Shadow what's going on. If you don't want him to be in the dark with what we're about to do, I don't have a problem with it." I began to walk towards the door to let Long Shadow know that Eric and Pam have other plans for the man.

"No," Eric answered. "Tell him nothing. You have done well, Sookie. I expected that you would have wanted to report the man to the police if it's found that he's done something wrong. We know that your father is a detective with the Bon Temps police department. We expected that you would want to follow the laws of the human world."

I shook my head no. "Well, under normal circumstances, I would do that but I'm not working in the human world. I'm well aware that the supes have their own brand of justice. It's not my place to tell you how to handle traitors or possible assassins." I stood in front of Eric as I continued. "What if I did tell my dad and they released the guy later on and he returned? What if on that second try he was successful in his quest to take Pam? I would be to blame. I can't have that on my conscience. I promised to work for you and to do my job and that's what I'm here to do. I may not know her but Pam's life is just as important as anyone else's as far as I'm concerned. I have promised to work for you and that is what I'll do. I will keep you safe. I give you my word."

Eric only stared.

"So you won't freak out if we have to kill him?" Pam asked me.

I looked at the wall behind Eric and thought about her words. That guy was going to do something unseemly to Pam. That unseemly thing could be death or even worse. They could torture her … forever. After all, she is a vampire. Could I handle the idea of her life ending because of me … being tortured because of me … because I was unable to do the job that I was hired to do? Can I handle this guy's death being my fault? Would it be my fault if they did have to kill him? Would I freak out if they killed him?

I looked at Pam and answered her question. "Yes," I said. "I probably will. I've never seen anyone die. I don't want to see anyone die. That's never been something that I've wanted on my bucket list. But I would also freak out if he kills you. What I did tonight, it's my job." A thought then occurred to me. I looked at Eric and said, "Maybe he doesn't have to die. I could go with you to wherever he is and read him. And you can decide from there … from what we find out … whether or not you want to kill him."

Eric and Pam stared at each other. I could see that something was going on between them but I didn't know what it was and it was fascinating to me. They were nodding and looking at me as they … talked?

"So?" I asked. "What are we going to do? Stand here and stare at each other all night? We're wasting time just standing here and doing nothing."

Eric reached out and offered me his hand. I took it as I waited for his answer.

"We will do as you've suggested," he said. "But where we are about to go, should never be spoken of to anyone outside of my office. It is a place that is used for Fangtasia business only. Is that clear?"

"Yeah," I said. "I won't say a word to anyone. Wait. Are we going to a torture chamber?" I whispered. "I've never been to a torture chamber. This is my first time. I'll bet it's so creepy … and dark." My eyes suddenly widened. "I'll bet that it smells of death down there."

Pam shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Eric laughed outright. "It can be deemed a torture chamber but we won't say that it is. What we'll call it is the interrogation room. How is that?"

"I like it," I said. "We're going to question the suspect and get the information that we need." I began to giggle. "If you think about it, we're kind of like police officers. I think that I'm going to buy us some badges to wear so that we can flash them when we question suspects. That would be …"

"Fucking ridiculous," Pam finished. "We will not do that."

"But it'll be fun," I offered. "We could pretend to be cops. Good cops. Until they turn us into bad cops."

"It won't be," she assured me.

With that said, Pam led the way from the office and to hidden torture chamber … I mean the interrogation room … that I couldn't speak of to anyone outside of Eric's office.

The stairs were long and winding. They were also very narrow. I can't believe that Eric was able to walk down them without any problems. And just like that, fear hit me and it hit me hard. Don't ask me how but the cement stairs began to creak under our feet. The basement was dark and dank. It also smelled of everything bad. The air was suddenly too thick. Almost choking. I could feel my heart racing. I almost wanted to run and it almost happened. I was suddenly terrified of what I could possibly see when I got down there. I know that I was all gung-ho at first but I wasn't so sure. I stopped walking and stared down into the darkness. Eric stopped with me and turned to look at me.

I looked at him and shook my head no. "I don't want to go down there," I said. "I thought that I did but I don't want to now."

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

I trust him with my life. "I do."

"I will let nothing happen to you," he assured me. "You can do this."

"I can do this," I said as I readied myself. "As long as there are no entrails hanging from the ceiling, I'll be just fine." With my back straight and my shoulders back, I continued to follow Eric down the stairs. And I was wrong. It didn't smell like everything bad. It was just my imagination. It kind of smelled like autumn. "It smells delicious down here."

"I love the scent of pumpkin spice," Pam shared. "That's what the cleaning people use to scent the room."

"Lovely," I agreed.

"Thank you," Pam said. "Eric doesn't like it. He says that the scent is quite nauseating."

"And it is," he affirmed.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about, Pam," I assured her. "Men are oblivious to relaxing and inviting scents. I understand what you're doing. Make them feel comfortable. Welcome them."

She looked back at me. "You and I spirit animals, my new friend."

"Lambs?" I asked. "I love lambs."

She sighed and shook her head. "No."

Eric chuckled.

I was relaxed once again. I squeezed Eric's hand in thanks as he continued to lead the way.

He glanced at me over his shoulder briefly. A nod was his response.

And just like that, there they were. The girls were sitting over in the corner. They were sitting in the chairs waiting. They were smiling. They were thinking that maybe they were going to finally get their chance with the master. Maybe I shouldn't have asked Long Shadow to bring them down here. I know that I never should've had them brought down here. It didn't matter that they were thinking nasty thoughts of Eric. They were my cover. I had to throw Long Shadow off. That's all that I was doing. I wasn't the least bit jealous.

 _Liar_.

I ignored my inner voice and stared at the man that was sitting before me. I just wanted the man. I wanted his thoughts and there he was. Now, he was tied to the chair and he was gagged. I expected to find him like that but something wasn't right. Something was different about him. His eyes weren't the same. They looked empty. Almost dead.

"Master," I said. "I don't want to question the girls anymore. I can't get anything from them. From what I can tell, they have nothing to hide. They just have crushes on you … which will do neither of us any good. Their thoughts are distracting. You can send them home."

He didn't ask what they were thinking at all. To be honest, he didn't even seem to care. "Glamor this night from their minds and send them home, Pam," Eric ordered.

Pam had done as she was told and was back with us in less than fifteen seconds.

I finally released Eric's hand and went to the man. I stood in front of him and stared into his eyes. I looked around the room and went to grab the first chair that I'd seen. I placed it in front of him and sat down. Not doing anything. Just staring.

Long Shadow decided to speak up. "I brought him down here when Ms. Stackhouse let me know that you wanted to question him. He's been very cooperative."

Eric stood behind me.

Pam stood next to him.

Though I knew that something was wrong, I smiled at the man. "Hi," I said. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse. How are you?"

He didn't answer me. He looked as if he was staring at me but he wasn't. It was as if I wasn't there. I glanced at Eric and Pam before asking him, "Do you know my friends? You must since you came here so that you can meet Pam. Are you interested in dating her? She's very pretty, isn't she?"

"And I'm a great kisser, aren't I, Sookie?" she asked.

I didn't even bother to look at her. "I don't know that, Pam. I don't even know what your mouth feels like."

"You could find out," she pouted.

"No, thank you," I huffed.

"And here I thought that you wanted me to make love to you tonight." She leaned down and whispered in my ear. "Do you want me to make love to you tonight?"

I could have sworn that I heard a growl just before Eric reprimanded Pam. "Leave her alone and let her do her job. You cannot have her," he replied. "She is not for you."

I shifted in my seat as tingles traveled through me. I wanted to ask him who's meant to have me but I had a job to do. "What's your name?"

An even blanker look appeared on his face. A tear rolled down his cheek.

I scooted in closer to him as I asked another question. "Do you know who she is?" I asked as I took Pam's hand in mine and moved her closer to him.

He looked at her and again, he said nothing but he did whimper.

I let go of her hand. "This is weird."

"What?" Pam asked.

I shook my head no as I tried getting into his head once again but nothing was there. I reached out and grabbed his hands so that I could get a better read on him. Normally when I do that, I can see everything that people are trying to hide from me. I can get things that they thought were forever hidden but it didn't work. Not this time.

"Master," I said. "Something's wrong."

Eric moved in closer to me. "Explain."

I shook my head no. "There's nothing there now. There are blank spots where his memories are supposed to be." I turned to look at Eric and said, "As I sit here holding his hand, he's searching his mind trying to remember what his name is. He's crying because he's afraid. He doesn't know what to do or who he is. And now, he doesn't even recognize Pam. I swear on my gift that he knew who she was when he first walked into this bar."

Eric rested his hand on my shoulder. "Glamor," he said.

"But who would've glamored him?" I asked.

Eric and Pam were staring straight ahead. I assumed that they were looking at the man.

I continued talking. "The only one that knew that I was going to question him was …"

It then dawned on me who they were looking at. They were looking at Long Shadow. And when I looked at him, death crept up my spine. "You," I whispered. "You did this. Why? Why are you after Pam?"

His fangs were down and his hands were clawed. He broke the poor man's neck before he jumped over his corpse and onto me … pushing me backwards and onto the floor. I stared at him and I knew that this was it. He'd reared his head back to take a great big bite out of good ole Sookie Stackhouse and I just knew that this was it. But nothing happened. Not to me anyway. No bite. No death. Just blood.

Long Shadow was dead. I was covered in his blood with Eric standing over me with the leg of a chair clutched in his hand.

Eric helped me up from the floor. He looked concerned. Almost worried but not me.

Pam's eyes were glazed over as she stalked in my direction. "She smells fucking fantastic," she said. "What are you?"

"I'm part fae," I answered. My voice remained strong and firm.

"Faery," she said. "You smell absolutely delicious." She continued to come at me … with her huge fangs drawn and ready to use but I wasn't afraid. Not really but Eric must have thought so.

"Pam, stay where you are."

She reluctantly did as he ordered her but her eyes remained glued to me. He looked as if he wanted me. Not like he wanted to kiss me out in the bar or in his office but he _really_ wanted me. Blood must really turn them on.

"You are safe," he said.

I'm not quite sure why he said that. Maybe he didn't trust himself with me because I was covered in blood. I don't doubt him or Pam. She may have been stalking me but it's okay. She was lost in the moment. She wouldn't have hurt me. Neither of them would have hurt me. And I had to say that to Eric. I never want them to doubt themselves around me. And I don't want them to doubt me.

"I know that I'm safe. I'm not worried at all. Shoot," I exclaimed. "Other than being covered in vampire blood, I'm great." And I was. Even with Pam stalking me, I felt wonderful. I feel really bad for the man that Long Shadow killed but his fate was his doing. It had nothing to do with me.

"Why do you smile?" he asked.

I didn't even realize that I was smiling but so what? Everything was wonderful. I looked down at my bloody body before looking up at him. "Because this is the most exciting night of my life."

Eric's eyes gleamed as he looked at me.

"I think that I'm really going to love working here."


	8. Chapter 8

**8**

 **You Need Protection**

 **Surprise! This truly will be the last chapter until maybe the end of next week. I want to thank each of you for your favorites, reviews, reads, and follows. Y'all are the best. I hope that y'all enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.**

 **And as always, the story idea belongs to me but these wonderfully, wonderful characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

* * *

After showering at the bar, I headed home. It was a nice ride home too. I sang. I smiled. I thought about the night's events. I'd half expected to have been scared of almost being attacked by an untrustworthy vampire but I wasn't. I wasn't scared at all. And I was going to remain fearless just as long as Eric doesn't know that I read his mind. I'm going to keep that bit of information to myself. And even though it was my first night, it almost felt normal. It felt like an everyday day to me … an exciting everyday day.

It almost scared me … almost but not quite … that I was into this life so quickly. I'm going to remain cautious and fully aware of my surroundings. I've always planned on doing that but it does seem a little strange that I'm taking to this life like a duck to water. There's only one way to find out why. I'm going to talk it over with grandpa. He's always willing to listen and tell me what the best thing is to do. I will take him out to breakfast and we could talk about things then. A good night's sleep and a great breakfast would be just what we need to get our day started.

But when I got home, I was in for a surprise. I didn't expect to find anyone awake and waiting on me but my grandpa was. He was sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea and reading one of his many motorcycle magazines. He's vowed to get one so that he and Gran can travel across the country on one. Gran's not too keen on the idea. She'd rather have an RV with a trailer hitch on the back pulling the motorcycle that they'll never ride across the country. It'll just be for show. It's argument that I've heard every night since I've moved in with them. And as I've mentioned before, the arguments don't seem to last very long because they're always having relations. Every single night. Grandpa must have a life time supply of Viagra because the things that take place in my grandparents' bedroom, is the stuff that nightmares are made of.

Literally. There have been times when I'm too embarrassed to look at them the next morning. As I've said, I have to hurry up and get my own place.

"Hey, Sookie," he said as I walked through the door. He removed his reading glasses and placed his magazine on the table. He studied me long and hard before speaking again. "I see that you have changed clothes and your hair is a bit damp. Do you want to fill me in on what's happened tonight?"

I kissed his forehead just as I took the seat next to his. I placed the contract on the table in front of him. "I can't wait to tell you what happened."

And just like that I was off and running. I told my grandpa what I'd learned and what we'd done. I told him how I'd discovered that someone wanted to take Pam. I told him that we worked together to try and find out what the man wanted from her. We were supposed to find out what vampire employed him. Sadly, I also had to tell him that I never got the chance to find out. I told him about Long Shadow trying to attack me because I could tell that the man had been glamored. I told him how Eric stopped him before he was even able to touch me. "There was just a huge glop of blood on the front of my dress but other than that, I was safe." I smiled.

Grandpa didn't.

Needless to say, Grandpa tensed at that part of the story. His eyes were no longer the beautiful pools of dark chocolate that have always made me feel loved and welcomed. This time, they were dark pools of death. "You weren't hurt," he said and it wasn't a question. His voice sounded nothing like my grandpa's voice. His was a deep grumble. It was quite menacing to be honest. I'm sure that if I'd heard that sound coming from anyone else, I would have been frightened. I would have been terribly frightened. "Tell me that his blood didn't get into you."

I shook my head no. "It didn't," I assured him. "It was only on the front of my dress. A little got on my arms but other than that, I am fine."

He still appeared to be a bit skeptical. "None got on your face ... near your eyes or mouth."

"Not one drop." I crossed my heart and said, "I give you my word."

His eyes began to clear as he patted my hand. "That's good. That's wonderful. Now," he said rather abruptly. He released my hand as he pointed at the contract. "This is it? This is the contract?"

"Yes, sir," I said.

He put on his reading glasses as he opened the contract and began to read over it. He nodded as he read.

I talked. "I read over some it and it seemed to be fair but there are some things in there that I think you need to read over. One part in particular," I began. "It says that I will have to work with kings and queens in the vampire world if called upon. What does that mean, Grandpa? I didn't know that they have kings and queens. You never told me that."

Grandpa grunted; completely ignoring my question. "Get me a pen, Sookie."

I did as my grandpa said. As soon as I handed it to him, he began marking through and adding to some of the lines in the contract. ' _That will not do_ ' or ' _Excellent_ ' were sentences that he'd mumbled quite a few times. When he'd gotten to the last page, he took off his glasses and placed them back onto the table. He placed his thumb and forefinger on the bridge of his nose as he sighed. My heart began to pound loudly in my chest. I was suddenly afraid that he was going to take the side of my parents. I was afraid that he was going to tell me that I was making a huge mistake by working with the vampires. I didn't want to hear that because I didn't want to do to my grandparents what I've had to do to my parents and my brother.

I dropped my head as I braced myself for what was about to happen.

"Look at me, Sookie," he said.

I slowly raised my head … my face cleared of any disappointment or sadness, as to look at my grandpa.

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" he asked me.

"I am," I whispered. "This is who I am. I don't want to waste my life away serving fried pickles and chili cheese fries. I don't want to waste this wonderful gift that I've been given." I reached across the table and took my grandpa's hand in mine. "I want to be able to openly help people. Daddy can't let the other cops know for sure that I've helped him with cases. They would question everything that he's ever done. He would lose his position. I can't let that happen. You know that. And I can't help him anymore. I want to be able to do what I was born to do without being hidden away like some dirty family secret. I have this amazing gift that can be used to help so many others and in the supe world, I don't have to hide. I won't be viewed as a freak or an oddity. I want to be able to be me with _everyone_ , Grandpa."

I then decided to tell Grandpa a secret that I'd never shared with another person. "Did you know that mom considers me a stain on this family? A _stain_. An embarrassment. She's ashamed of me. I've heard in her mind that there have been times that she wishes that I was not who I am or can do what I do. I take that to mean that she wishes that she didn't have me … the me that I am … the me that I'm meant to be ... the me that I am to become. She wants me to hide. I can't do that." I dropped my head just as a tear slid over my cheek.

"My dear girl," Grandpa said. He hugged me to him as he caressed my head. He kissed me before pulling away from me. He used his thumbs to wipe the tears from my face. "You are a gift to this sometimes ugly world. And that has nothing to do with your telepathy. When you first discovered that I am not human, you were but a child of three years old." He began to laugh. "Do you remember what you said to me?"

Oddly enough, I did. "Papa's head is different."

He nodded as he smiled. "And it is. But it never mattered to you. You embraced me even more. Your love for me grew. You have a beautiful heart and soul, Sookie, and don't ever let anyone take that away from you. In my opinion, you're too good for either world … human or supernatural. Your mother would do good to realize this. I've always believed that she was never good enough for my son. You've only strengthened my belief."

"Thank you, Grandpa," I said as I chuckled. It's never been a secret that my grandparents have never been a fan of my mother's. No one is really … except for daddy. "And I don't blame her. Not anymore. She doesn't understand." It suddenly hit me that she'll never understand and I'm okay with that. I have to be.

Right?

"Why did you ask me if I'm sure that I want to do this?"

Grandpa's hold on my hand tightened. "Because this is a life that's going to take you places that you've never been," he said. "You are going to have to do things that will make you question who you are. Once you're in, Sookie, there's no turning back. This is it. Are you sure that you want to do this?"

"Yes," I said. I didn't even have to think about it. "I want this. I know what I am. I know that I'm not quite human. I've always known that I'm different. I feel it. I want to embrace that part of me. I want to live this life. I know that it's going to be difficult at times and I know that I'm going to question everything that I've ever learned as a human but I want this. Please, don't try and take this from me." I looked him in his eyes and said, "Though I love you, you won't win."

Grandpa patted my hand as he laughed outright. "I've never doubted any of what you said. I've always known that you are made for this life … of this world … the supe world. When you were born, I could see it in your newly formed eyes. You weren't like the other babies at the hospital. You didn't cry. You didn't scream. You wondered and I could see it. I could sense your differences … your moods. I knew instantly that you had that spark. That essential spark that none of us, the fae, have ever had. You are of our world and if this is what you want, I am with you … every step of the way. You have me but I'm not enough, Sookie. You're going to need more. You're going to need a lot more protection."

Frowning, I asked, "What do you mean? How much more?"

Grandpa sat back in his seat and crossed his legs. "What do you know of the Northman?"

I shook my head and said, "Nothing, really. I know that he's over a thousand years old and that he owns a bar. He's Pam's maker and my new boss. That's it."

He smiled. "Do you have any plans for early in the morning?"

I shook my head no. "I wanted to take you out to breakfast so that we could talk but we've already done that. And I don't have to work at Merlotte's today. I have to go later this evening. I have to be there when the new girl that I met at Fangtasia starts. I have to be there at 3:00. I want to introduce her to Sam and be her reference. I wanted to be the one to train her. With Sam expanding the bar and all, I figured he'd need the extra help but Eric sent some of the Fangtasia waitresses to work for Sam until all of the new girls are trained. I guess they'll be training her too. I'm officially a Fangtasia employee."

Grandpa stood up from his seat and walked to the other side of the kitchen. He began making a pot of coffee. "I have a story to tell you. It's going to be a long night."

I had on only one thing to say.

Could this night get any better than this?!


	9. Chapter 9

**9**

 **The Tale of the Northman**

 **Here is the next chapter, everyone. I hope that y'all enjoy it. I have now posted all of the chapters that had already been written. Now I have to write the chapters as I go along. I will still post a chapter each week but it will vary based on my caseloads at work. I just wanted to let y'all know that I'll get them posted once they've been edited and are ready for reading. I hope that this one isn't filled with errors. I hope that y'all enjoy.**

 **The story idea is mine but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

* * *

To say that I was intrigued at the very idea that I was going to learn about Eric Northman's past is an understatement. There were no words that could describe what I was feeling or what I was going to be feeling. I just know that I wanted to learn everything that I possibly could about the vampire with whom I'd be spending most of my nights. But it was more than that. I wanted to get to know him. I wanted to know his likes and his dislikes. I wanted to know what makes him happy … what makes him angry. I wanted to know everything that he's ever done. I wanted to know everything that he's ever seen. I am completely fascinated with him. I, for one, couldn't believe that I was going to learn some of the history of Eric Northman. So, to get the ball rolling, I did what I had to do.

I put the coffee pot, sugar, and creamer on the table. I took Gran's famous pecan pie out of the fridge and put that on the table. Grandpa cut the slices as I put the saucers and forks out. I put out the napkins and poured the coffee. He cut the pie. The closer we got to finishing the setting of the table, the more my heart began to pound in my chest. I could actually hear my heart beating in my ears. It was actually beating in my ears!

As he put the slices of pie on the saucers, I glanced around the kitchen. "Is that everything? We don't need anything else, do we?"

Grandpa stared down at the table as he shook his head no. "I think we're ready." He looked at me and motioned for me to take my seat. "Let's get this little history lesson on the road," he said as he rubbed his hands together.

I was seated and waiting.

Grandpa sipped at his coffee and nibbled at his pie. Gran makes the best pecan pie in the free world but I didn't want her pie tonight. I wanted to know what grandpa was going to tell me but he was taking his sweet time as he nibbled at his pie. He's good for that … lollygagging. Though I'm used to him doing that, I wanted to scream at him and tell him to hurry up but I didn't. When he is lollygagging, he's trying to figure out how he's going to start the conversation and that means it's going to be one heck of a conversation.

"He was born many, many years ago," Grandpa began. "He is born from a long line of fighters … warriors … a king. His father was one of the greatest kings of his time. When I say that he was great king, I don't mean that he was a _great_ man. His kingdom was rich in every way imaginable … crops, livestock, fighters. That in turn, made his kingdom great but not him. He wasn't a giving king or father. Erick was his father's only son … and he was most irresponsible." He began to chuckle as he talked. "Eric loved the ladies. He always has." He made sure to make eye contact with me when he shared that bit of information.

I could see that. The women and the men that come to Fangtasia were really throwing themselves at him. I can only imagine what the women of his time would do just to get his attention. He was a prince after all but I've not seen Eric behave in a horndog kind of way. He's not like my brother, Jason. He's different than that. He's not into getting into as many pairs of panties in one night as possible. Well, at least he doesn't seem to be. Since meeting him, he's been nothing but kind and polite to me. I wanted to say as much but I didn't speak a word. I let my grandpa carry on with his tale of The Northman.

"His father, King Ocella, was not a great man. His subjects hated him." Grandpa chuckled. "They despised that man. When his people were starving, he was eating like the king that he was. When his people was freezing and dying from the winter cold in their hutches, he was as warm as summertime in his expansive home." He then shook his head. "He was cruel for no reason, Sookie. Even his wife despised him."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing about Eric's dad. He sounded like a tyrant. How could a man like that raise a son like Eric? And then it dawned on me. Maybe my grandpa was telling me these things to warn me away from Eric. Maybe he could tell that I was beginning to feel something for Eric and he wanted to let me know what I was getting myself into.

But he could be wrong. I'm not going to let my grandpa decide what type of vampire Eric is. That's a decision that I'm going to make on my own.

"But his son," grandpa began. "His son was a different type of man. The townspeople loved Eric. They admired him. They revered him. Eric would take food from his father's sheds and go from house to house to make sure that each family received their fair share. He figured that they'd worked in the fields all day so they earned it. They'd earned the right to eat. Eric would stand by the sides of his subjects and he would go out into the forests with his broad axe and chop down trees so that they could have heat. He would skin the hides from bears to make sure that the women and children were clothed and warmed during the winter months." He smiled. "Eric, he was one of the good ones."

And just like that, something clouded over my grandpa's eyes. "What is it?" I asked.

"This is where the story changes," he said. "Eric was one of the good ones. He always has been. His father hated him for it. He wanted Eric to be like him. He wanted the people to fear his son; not love him. He didn't want them to revere him. He believed that fear garnered respect. And because he believed that, he tried terrorizing his son. The things that he would do to that man would chill even the devil. Though he tried his best to break Eric, he failed."

My heart dropped to my feet. I couldn't imagine anyone doing anything to hurt Eric. Even as a vampire, he seems to be of good spirit. Well, at least to me it seemed that way. He'd been nothing but kind to me. A bit sneaky and underhanded but … that's okay. He'd done nothing to me that would make me want to punish him or hurt him. I could tell by the look in my grandpa's eyes, I didn't want to know what he'd done to Eric. And he was right. I didn't want to know.

"Ocella's wife would always defend her son. She would protect him as best she could. It didn't matter to her if she'd have to suffer at the hands of her husband just as Eric had. She accepted that as her fate. She was a Valkyrie but in human form many have said. She knew that Eric was destined to do great things and it was her mission to keep him safe for as long as she could." Grandpa sighed. "She always believed that her son would die on the battlefield. She always told him that he would not die at the hands of the most sinister man alive. She told him that he would die a glorious death. A hero's death. The true death of a Viking."

"She loved him," I whispered.

"Dearly," he said.

"What was her name?"

"Svava." He began to look out into nothing as he thought of her. "She was the most beautiful woman in the village. Everyone believed her to be a Valkyrie. Some even asked her. She would laugh off the absurd questions as she batted her baby blues at them, as the wind lovingly fluffed her hair over her shoulders."

I scooted to the edge of my seat. "Would she even answer their question?"

"She did without saying a word," he replied. "From what my father told me, she was an amazing creature."

"Are there any portraits left of her in this world?" I asked. "I know that kings and queens used to pose for portraits. I hope that there's something left of her in this world. I'd love to see what she looked like ... as a human. Did your father have any mementos of her?"

He shook his head no. "Nothing."

I flopped back in my seat and crossed my arms over my chest. "That sucks." And I, too, sighed. "So, what did she do to save Eric from his father?"

"While Ocella was away at sea, she had her brothers come for him. It was hard for her to do but she knew that she had no other choice. There was no way that Eric would have survived another brutal beating at his father's hands. As I said, Ocella was quite cruel. So," he said. "Her brothers took him to their homeland. He stayed there until his father's death. He died three years later in battle. And Sookie, after his death, there was an all-out war. His father was such an awful man, that when he died, he left Eric nothing in his will. People began to fight over the land. He'd rather have left his wife and son with nothing as punishment."

"His subjects were fighting over his land?" I asked.

"Not them," he clarified. "People from different countries came in to take that land. It was very prosperous. He had the richest land in the country. Ocella was a very wealthy man but he was too greedy to even pass it on to his son."

"What about his wife?" I asked. "Why didn't he leave it to his wife? Did he love her at all?"

"For fear that she would let Eric have total and complete control." Grandpa looked disgusted. "As I told you, he hated his son. I'm not sure that man even knew what love is."

"Jerk," I said. "What happened to Svava?"

Grandpa looked down at his hand before he looked at me. "She was tortured within an inch of her life by the new tyrant that came in to take her queendom from her. Eric and her brothers found her near death in her home. She was almost unrecognizable."

My hand instantly went to mouth as to stifle my cry. I could only imagine what grandpa meant by tortured; especially in those time. "That poor woman," I whispered. "Did she tell him what happened?"

"There was no need," he said. "They were made aware of what was happening before they returned to Eric's homeland. She wasn't too far gone though. The woman of her land took proper care of her as they waited for her son and brothers to arrive. She had enough strength and fight in her to tell her son to avenge her. She told him that this was his chance to have a glorious death and when it was time, she would be waiting for him. She would lead him home to Valhalla."

My heart began to pound in my chest. I was almost too excited for my own good. The idea of Eric dying on the battlefield and fighting for his mom was glorious. The idea of his mom greeting him in death was outstanding. But my excitement was soon gone because none of what she wanted to happen happened. He didn't die a glorious death. His mom, the Valkyrie, never got to lead him home to Valhalla. He was turned into a vampire. "That didn't happen, grandpa."

He shook his head no. "It did not but he fought as only a Viking can. He went out there on that battlefield with his broad axe and fought to the death. His axe and his body were covered in the blood of his enemies as well as his own. Though he was stabbed with spears and shot with arrows, death did not immediately take him. He continued to fight. He would drop to his knees but his axe continued to swing but he didn't do it alone. He didn't have to fight alone. He was never alone. His uncles and the menfolk of his village, were standing at his side."

That made me proud. His kindness and selflessness was returned to him. "The townspeople were with him?"

"They were," he answered. "They fought with him and they died for him. As I told you, they loved Eric. They admired him and they revered him. His death was written into song."

I was suddenly confused. "You said that he didn't die on the battlefield."

"He didn't but they didn't know that," he said. "His people believed that he made his way to Valhalla. As the battle ended, he bequeathed his kingdom to his eldest uncle but only if he promised to take care of his townspeople as he had. His mother would have had it no other way. And his uncle promised."

"Eric believed him?"

Grandpa nodded. "He did. He had every reason to. The man fought with him. The men in his mother's family were strong and honorable men. Their name was very important to them. They never went back on a promise. He and the last of his male subjects went back to Eric's homeland. His last remaining uncles, Arvid and Daniel, carried him to the forest under the cover of night and laid him to rest under a tree. That is where he was to die. It's where he wanted to die. Eric loved the forest. He loved the trees and cool breeze that the winds would so willingly bestow upon him. He thoroughly enjoyed the peacefulness. He always has. So, on that particular night, he watched the stars as he waited for his mother to come for him."

I began to cry. I didn't want him to die. I couldn't imagine Eric dying … not as a human or a vampire. I know that I don't know him very well but I don't ever want that to happen to him. I know that this is selfish of me but I'm glad that his mom didn't come for him. I never would have met him if she had. "What happened next?"

A smirk was on my grandpa's face as he answered me. "You know what happened. He met his maker. His maker wanted him. His maker killed his uncles and gave Eric the choice of what he wanted. He asked Eric if he wanted to die or if he wanted an eternal life. Can you guess which one he chose?"

I knew that the question was rhetorical but I answered it anyway. "He didn't want to die," I answered immediately. It all came to me in that very moment. "There was more that he wanted to do with his life and he thought that it was over so he'd accepted his fate. His mother's fate. He was willing to die as his mother wanted him to even though that's not what he wanted."

"You got it," grandpa said. "At one time, he believed that he wanted a Viking's death. He believed that he wanted to be greeted at the gates of Valhalla but he was given the opportunity to live eternally. He was told that he could walk this earth for the rest of his days just as long as he lived carefully … smartly. There was no way that he was going to pass up that opportunity. He'd have been a fool."

Now, that surprised me. "I always thought that you believed that the life of the vampire was one of ill repute. Those were your exact words, grandpa. You sound as if given the choice, you would take that chance. Would you do that, grandpa? Would you want to be turned into a vampire?"

"No," he answered unquestionably. "Not ever. I love who and what I am. I am happy and quite delighted with the life that has been given to me. I wouldn't have it any other way." He placed his hand on mine. "Your grandmother, my son, and my grandchildren are the greatest gifts that I have ever been given. I can honestly say that this life is the only life that I've ever wanted to live. And I am grateful."

I reached out and hugged him. "I love you, grandpa. I love you so much."

"As I do you, Sweetie," he said as he patted me on the back.

Just as I released him and returned to my seat, I asked, "Now, tell me why you told me this tale of Eric. I don't understand what this story has to do with me."

"He's a fighter, Sookie and he will keep you protected."

I knew that. I knew that after our first meeting. When that guy touched me a couple of nights ago, Eric came to my defense and he'd only just met me. I'm working for him now so I am quite certain that I have absolutely nothing worry over. "Okay," I said.

I could tell that grandpa didn't like the nonchalant tone to my voice. "You need his protection if you are going to be working in the supe world."

I picked up the contract and said, "I know that. It's all right here. I'm going to be well protected. I know that I'm going to be safe with Eric. I'm not worried. He's promised to be with me at all times. Either him or Pam."

"You should be worried," he said. His eyes are dark orbs and his voice had gone down a couple of octaves. "You are a commodity in this world, Sookie. You will be working with kings and queens. Pack leaders in the Were world and covens of the most powerful witches. Everyone in the supe world will know that you are a telepath."

A commodity?

He must have noticed the look on my face because he continued to talk … and scare the begeezus out of me. "What do you think is going to happen? Did you think that this was going to be an afternoon social at one of your grandma's Glorious Dead meetings? Is that what you thought?" His laugh was menacing. "You are in for a rude awakening, my love. People will kill your family and friends to get to you."

I tried to laugh off his comments but I couldn't do that. Laughter was not an option. Swallowing my tongue, that on the other hand, was all that I could do. None of that had ever occurred to me. It never dawned on me that I'd be putting my family in danger because I wanted to take my place in the supe world. I never thought that part through. It was never a possibility.

"You never thought of that, did you?" grandpa asked.

"No."

He grasped my hands in his. "Forgive me for speaking to you in such a way but you needed to know what you are going to be doing and what you will be risking," he said. "This is what you want. This is your life now."

I nodded. "This is my life now."

He released my hands and slid the contract in front of me. "You haven't signed it yet. You can throw it in the fireplace and I can send you away. Or we can just throw it in the fireplace. Burn it to ash. No one will ever know of what you can do."

"That's not true," I said. "I've already told Eric and Pam. The people in town know. Everyone that knows me knows what I can do."

"No _vampire_ will ever know what you can do," he said.

"What do you …?" I rapidly shook my head no. "No! You can't kill them!"

He shrugged his shoulders as he sat back in his seat. "There is one last choice and it's one that you seriously need to think over."

I was still stuck on my grandpa threatening to kill Eric and Pam. I'm not surprised that he offered to kill them. I've always known that grandpa has killed. He killed these two faeries that came for me one night. Neave and Lochlan were their names. They hated me because I'm a hybrid. He killed them with iron swords. He had to wear gloves but he killed them. He said that full-bloodied faeries are allergic to iron. And he was right. It slid through them like a hot knife cutting butter. They didn't even get a chance to scream. After that night, grandpa ordered me and Gran iron daggers from some supe arms dealer that he's known for centuries. We can't have them around him but we have them just the same. I keep mine in my purse at all times.

So, hearing him say that he'd kill for me was nothing new. He'd already done it. Anyway, I'm not even sure of what he said to me. His mouth was moving but nothing was coming out of it. Nothing that was quite clear. I just know that I said that I'd do whatever I needed to do. I heard him say something about drinking blood and bonding.

"Sookie, do you hear me?" he said.

"I do," I answered.

"If he doesn't give you his blood, if he doesn't bond with you, promise me that you won't sign that contract."

I looked into my grandpa's eyes and nodded.

He banged his fists on the table. "Please!" he said a little louder than normal. "I don't want you nodding at me. Tell me that you will do this for me. I have to keep you safe and I can't do it without you and Eric." Tears welled up in his eyes. "Please." His voice suddenly softened. "I must keep you safe no matter how much it pains me at the thought of vampire blood running through your veins. You have to promise that you will ask Eric to bond with you. You need his blood in you if you want to live."

"I'll do it," I said. "I will ask him to bond with me."

Grandpa dropped his head as he kept his grip on my hand.

All I could think was what was Eric going to say.

What was he going to say?


	10. Chapter 10

**10**

 **Decisions, Decisions**

 **Here it is everyone. Eric's response. I hope that y'all enjoy it.**

 **I'd also like to say to the reviewer that told me that the story is not following the lineage of the fae and that you can't withhold your feelings of disbelief any longer. I'm glad that you like the story. Keep reading, my friend. Keep reading.**

 **And as always, the story idea is mine but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

* * *

I looked at my bedside clock and it was still 2:30. It was 2:30 thirty minutes ago. I think. My grandpa and I had our talk over two hours ago and I still can't get over my rattled nerves. Grandpa only made matters worse before he went upstairs for bed. He gave me another reason why I needed to bond with Eric.

"You must understand, my dear. That this isn't just about your amazing gift of mind reading. It's also about your spark. Your spark must be protected. It is what makes you who you are. Don't ever let anyone take from you."

My grandpa has always told me that my spark is my greatest gift. I've always believed that it's my telepathy but I could be wrong. I'm not too sure about this so-called spark since I've never seen or heard from it. It's just there and it's more than obvious that only grandpa can see it. I wanted to ask grandpa, again, what's so special about it but I figured that there'd be no point. He's never really answered my question. He'll only tell me in a roundabout way that it's gotten me through this life so far.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I closed my eyes as my heart pounded in my chest.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

He's here.

"Sookie," Eric said. "I can see you. I know that you are awake. There's no need in trying to play possum with me. I am a vampire. You cannot fool me." I could almost see the smug look on his face.

I jumped up from the bed without thinking because I knew that if I didn't, I wasn't going to let him in. I had my back to the curtained window because I wasn't prepared to face him just yet. Not that I could because the curtain covered the window. It didn't really matter. I wasn't ready for this.

I couldn't do it.

I was so nervous. I don't know how Eric's going to react to the idea of being bonded with me. I wasn't sure of what he was going to say or do. I knew for certain what grandpa was going to do if it didn't happen.

Grandpa said that if Eric doesn't bond with me, there's no way he's going to let me sign the contract. He said that he didn't care if I would be angry with him. "You are what's important to me, Sookie. Your anger will pass and you will understand why I had to do what I had to do. Get him to bond with you or you will not be working with him."

"Before I agree to this, you have to make me a promise. You can't hurt him and you can't have anyone else do anything to hurt him. You won't kill him?" I asked. "You won't kill him or Pam?"

He only stared at me.

"Come on, grandpa," I said. "I'll do as you ask. If he doesn't bond with me, I won't work for him but you have to promise to let them live."

"Why do you even care, Sookie?" he asked. "You don't even know them. Why does it bother you so that I would kill them to keep your secrets out of the supe world?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I said, "Because I like him … both of them. I don't want anything to happen to him … to them."

He patted me on my arm and promised that he wouldn't harm them. "I give you my word but you must get him to agree. Either he does it or it's off. You will _not_ be working for the Northman."

And I knew that he meant it.

And I knew that I was going to do what I needed to do if I'm going to follow my dream. I pulled back the curtains and smiled. "Go to the front porch," I said. "I'll meet you there." I couldn't very well invite him into my bedroom. He's a stranger … and this is my grandparents' house. Not that I intend to do anything with him but there was no way I'd invite a strange vampire into my room.

I pulled on my robe and slid into my slippers and walked to the living room in order to take that long journey to meet my guest. But before going outside to meet him, I went into the kitchen to get the contract and a quick swallow of water. My heart was pounding in my chest. My mouth had suddenly gone dry. I was doing my best to calm myself down before going outside but I couldn't do it. I'd never been so nervous and afraid in all of my life.

When I opened the door, Eric was sitting on the porch swing and he was staring out into the night. He looked in my direction when he heard the door creak open. "Hey," I said.

"Hello," he replied.

I crossed my arms behind my back and just stood there. I didn't know what to do.

"You can sit down," he offered. "I will not bite you … unless you want me to." He smiled at me with his fangs in full view. "Do you want me to bite you, Sookie?"

I shook my head no as I smiled. Or at least tried to smile. Things were a bit too serious for me at this moment. "Not right now. We need to talk first."

His smile soon vanished. I guess he didn't expect that response from me.

"You called me," he said.

I nodded. "I did."

"What is wrong?" His voice was flat but I could hear the bit of emotion that he was trying to hide from me.

I took my seat next to him and sighed. I looked at him and said, "I need to talk to you about something … about the job."

I could feel him stiffen. "You are not going to work for me."

"I want to," I said. "I love what we did tonight. It was so exciting to me. It was the most thrilling thing I've ever done. And I want to work for you, Eric. I really want to but …"

Eric inhaled as he glared at me. "Is it because of the faery scent that I smell so strongly on you?"

"Kind of," I said.

"You gave me your word," he said. Though his voice was steady and cool, I could feel the anger rolling off of him. I'm almost certain that if grandpa had been out here with us, Eric probably would have tried to kill him. He would have assumed that my grandpa is the reason for my change of heart. Looking at the contract, he said, "Your word is binding in the supe world … even without the contract. I will hold you to what you have promised me."

"And I would expect nothing less," I assured him. "It's just that … it's just that I'm not sure how you're going to react to what I have to say. I don't want you to get upset with me or think that I'm after only one thing from you because that's not who I am. That's not me."

He slid closer to me. "What do you mean, Sookie?"

I sighed. "Give me a minute. I'll turn the light on and we'll go over the contract together."

"I do not need the light," he assured me. "I am a vampire."

"Yeah," I agreed. "But I'm not. I need to see." I stood up from the swing and reached inside the house and turned on the front porch light before returning to my seat. "We need to go over the contract," I said. "Since you said that it's okay if I made some changes, I made some changes."

I could soon feel him relax. "And it is okay. Show me what you have changed."

And I did just that. We talked about the wording and a couple of the changes and he was cool with them. He didn't balk or complain. He was willing to give me everything that grandpa said I'd need. Well, almost everything.

After initialing the changes, Eric held onto the contract and the ink pen. He stared at the side of my face for a long moment. He knew that there was more. A lot more but he didn't say anything to me. I was hoping that he would but he didn't. I'm not entirely surprised. He was going to make me say it. He was actually going to make me say it. And that's what I did.

"I want more," I said as I looked over at him.

And there it was. That smirk. That ass-itching smirk. He pressed his nose to my neck as he smiled. "You do?" he asked. I heard his fangs snick into place as he placed his hand on the side of my neck and pulled me closer to him. "What more to do you want?"

I rubbed my cheek against him as I whispered in his ear. "I want your blood."

He was no longer nuzzling my neck. His fangs were gone back into their hidey-hole. And Eric had scooted to back to the other side of the porch swing. "You want my what?"

I steadied myself as I stared him in his eyes. "I want your blood inside of me. I need your blood inside of me."

He continued to stare at me.

"I'm part fae, Eric, and I'm a telepath. I will be working for you on a nightly basis."

He continued to stare.

This time, I shifted in my seat. "Because I will be working for you, I will need protection. At least more than what you've offered me. I know that you and Pam will go with me when I have to travel but from what I've learned, I'm going to need more than your company. Once the leaders of the vampire world, your kings and queens, learn of what I can do, they are going to want me for themselves. The same goes for the pack leaders of the Weres and shifters, all of them, as well as the witches and warlocks. I know how important your blood is to you as a vampire and at any other time, I would never ask this of you but I want your blood. I want your protection. I want your full protection."

Eric still didn't speak.

I dropped my head and looked down at my hands. "When I decided that I wanted to take this step in my life, I didn't realize all of the dangers associated with it. I'd just assumed that I'd be working with the vampires and word would spread of what I could do and that would be that. I thought that they would want to hire me for my services and I'd be free to live as I want. I know now that would never happen. I will never be free to live as I want. I didn't realize that by doing this, by exposing my talents, I'd be putting myself _and_ my family in danger. It never once occurred to me." I soon looked up at him. "I'm not a prideful or selfish person, Eric, but I can be a bit stubborn and obviously impulsive. I don't want to miss out on this opportunity but I will have to walk away if you can't offer me your blood as a sign of protection and good faith."

He looked out into the night and stared out at the stars. I couldn't tell what he was thinking or what he wanted to do. He could walk away from me right now and I wouldn't have a clue. I couldn't read his mind as I do everyone else's. I'd hoped that a flash of something would have come to me as it did earlier tonight but I heard nothing. From what I could gather, I had to keep pitching my case to him.

I placed my hand on his as I continued on. "I will do nothing to betray you. I will offer you my services for as long as I'm able to just as I'd promised but I can't do that without you. I need you, Eric. I don't want to be kidnapped by some king or queen because they've decided to harness my gift as their own. I don't want my family to die because some pack leader decides he wants a telepath to be a useful friend of the pack. I don't want spells cast upon my friends just because they know me. Please," I begged. "I need you."

Eric was staring down at my hand on his. I could only guess that he didn't like it so I made a move to take my hand from his but he stopped me. He held my hand in his. He finally looked at me. "Is your telepathy the only reason for your need of my blood? Is there more that you have to tell me?"

I shook my head no. "Not that I'm aware of," I answered. "My grandpa told me that before I could sign the contract, I needed to ask you to bond with me. He said that I needed your protection … for my good as well as that of my family. He said that we have to share blood and that's what I'm willing to do."

"Why does your grandpa need this of me?" He absently began to stroke the back of my hand with his thumb.

Again, I shook my head no. "I need this. Not him."

A slow smirk appeared on Eric's face. "Yes but he needs it at well. Why else would he ask his fae granddaughter to bond with a vampire? The vampire/fae relationships are practically nonexistent. It makes me wonder why he wants us to bond. What does he know of me?"

I could swear that his blue eyes had gone black. To protect my grandpa, I was going to keep quiet about the story that he'd told me of Eric's human life but I decided against it. We can't build a relationship off of lies and half-truths. I don't want that. I want to be as truthful as I possibly can with Eric; especially if I expect him to share his blood with me. "He knows of your human life. He told me of your lineage and why you are the best vampire for me to bond with in this world. He spoke very highly of you. I believe everything that he said about you was the truth. I believe that you can and will keep me safe just I can and will keep you safe. We can do this if we work together. And to be perfectly honest, I want to do this. I never knew that bonding with you was an option until tonight but I'm willing to do it. I don't know why," I hurriedly added. "But I want to bond with you. I want you to trust me. I want to feel that I'm being honest with you. I want you to know that you have nothing fear while you are with me. And I'm drawn to you, Eric."

"Oh, really?" he asked. Eric's arm was soon draped over my shoulder. "Is it my animal magnetism or is it my incendiary wit? Whatever your choice, either one would be fine with me." I could tell that he was trying to lighten the mood and I appreciated that.

I laughed as I playfully slapped his chest. "This could be one of the reasons why I want to bond with you. You are so funny. You have a remarkable sense of humor. You have a zest for life that I've never seen in anyone else. I'm relaxed with you and I feel safe with you." I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I'd also like to get to know you better. If that's okay."

He brushed his thumb across my cheek. "That is okay."

I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to kiss him so desperately but I didn't do it. That's not going to help solve anything. I asked him once again if he'd bond with me. "It's up to you but I wish that you'd do it. At least think about it. Give it a couple of days and you can let me know then. I just won't be able to work with anyone other than you while you think it over. Is that okay?"

He smiled. "Again, that is okay. Now," he said as he turned serious on me. "Who is your grandfather? What fae clan does he belong to?"

I couldn't answer that question outside. Though Eric and I were alone, I couldn't take that chance. I got up and motioned for Eric to follow me inside. I walked through the door but he did not. He stopped at the threshold. "Why haven't you come in?"

"You have to invite me in," he said. "Your home is the home of a human and because of that, vampires cannot enter your home without an invitation. It would do good for you to remember that for all time. It would be beneficial to make your immediate family aware of that as well. It will keep them safe … at least for now."

"I will," I promised. "Eric, would you please come in?"

And just like that he was inside my grandparents' home. _And_ just like that, his posture changed. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "I've always loved the smell of the fae," he whispered.

I frowned and was soon on the defensive. "You won't attack him, will you?"

He opened his eyes and said, "I will not. I'm old enough to be able to control myself. Pam, on the other hand, cannot. She must never come to your home when your grandparents are here." There was an ominous warning in his voice.

"I got it," I said. I looked in the directions of my grandparents' room and shivered. I needed to get this ball rolling. "You asked me what fae clan my grandpa belongs to. Well, he's a sky fae and he is from the house of Brigant. His name is …"

Eric instantly stepped away from me. He didn't look happy about my little revelation. To be honest, he looked down right angry. "Brigant? You are part of the royal family?"

I shook my head no. "I don't think so. Grandpa, Fintan, has never said anything about us being a part of the royal family. I don't know anything about that." I frowned at him and asked, "Do you know my grandpa?"

"I do," he answered. "I know his entire family." And it didn't sound like a good thing either.

I suddenly became nervous. I sat down on the couch as I looked up at him. "Do you not like the Brigants?"

"I despise them," he answered.

"Oh," I said. What else could I say? There was nothing else for me to say but oh.

He looked at me and smiled. "Calm yourself, Sookie. What I feel for your grandfather's family is in no way a reflection on you."

I looked into his eyes and I knew that he was speaking the truth. I pepped up just a bit. With my eyes wide and filled with hope, I asked, "So, does that mean you'll give me your blood?"

"It does not," he replied.

"Oh," I repeated as the little hope that I had left me.

With the contract in his hand, Eric sat on the couch next to me. He rested his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. "I want you to know that I heard all that you have said to me and I have taken all that you have said into consideration. Do not take my slow response to this stipulation as a no or a negative. It is not I that concerns me. If truth be told, I must admit that I feel as you do."

I was soon curious. "How so?"

"I am drawn to you," he admitted. " _You_ have a zest for life and _you_ have a grand sense of humor. You are brave and accepting of the differences of others. Your way of thinking and being fascinates me to no end. I want to know why you are the way you are. I want to know more about you. Before you called me tonight, I'd planned on asking you to be mine."

"Really?" I asked as I smiled so hard that my cheeks began to hurt.

"Yes."

I was soon frowning. I had no idea what he meant by that. There was only one way to find out. "What does that mean?" I asked. "To be yours. What does that mean exactly?"

"You would belong to me," he responded. "No one would be allowed to touch you or to claim you as theirs because you would be mine. I would take care of you and you would have my protection. You would have the protection of all that owe me fealty. Everything that I own, everything that I am, would belong to you. _I_ would forever keep _you_ safe."

I thought about that for a minute … ' _belong to me_ '. I would be his. No one else could touch me or claim me. No one else would have any rights to me. Eric would keep me safe. Those that are beneath him would be obligated to keep me safe. I couldn't pass up this opportunity. Grandpa said that I had to get him to bond with me and that's what I'm going to do. "That's the same as bonding, right?"

"It is," he answered.

I began to nod. "That's what I want. I need your protection."

Eric shook his head no. "You do not seem to understand what I am saying, lover. I want all of you. I want to bond with you but not because you need my protection and not because you are going to work for me. I want you because I want you."

What could I possibly say to something like that?

"Okay," I whispered. "What do we have to do?"

He smiled cheekily. "You have to understand what you are asking of me," he said. "You must be aware of what you're getting into when you request such an action. A bond is not to be taken lightly. With a bond, you will belong to me. You will become a part of me. When I say that you will be mine, you must have a clear understanding of what that is. Some believe that it makes them the property of the vampire. That it not true. You will not be considered my property," he clarified. "You will not be considered my pet. You will not be considered an asset. You will be considered my woman. As far as I'm concerned, you will be my equal. Our lives will be intertwined. Our souls will be as one. You will feel my every emotion just as I will feel yours. You will feel my need for you … my want for you just as I will feel those same emotions from you." He moved closer to me. "With our bond, there will be no manipulation of any kind. I may send you calm when you are nervous and afraid but your feelings will remain your own. You will still be you with me attached to your very being. Everything that you will be to me is what I'll be to you. Is that what you want? Can you handle that, Sookie?"

My heart began to thunder away in my chest and my nether regions began to feel all tingly inside and out as I nodded. "Yes," I said.

With his eyes closed and nostrils flared, Eric said, "I would have you right now if you were mine."

I scooted closer to him. "And I would let you have me."

His fangs dropped into placed as his eyes popped open from surprise.

"So, are going to bond?" I asked him.

He placed his hand on my face as he traced his thumb along my cheek. "Yes," he said. "But not tonight. This is something that you have to consider, Sookie. You need to understand clearly why you must think this through."

"I do and I will."

With his arm wrapped around my waist and his hand still on my face, he said, "Once we are bonded, I am never going to let you go. When I say that you will be mine, you _will_ be mine. Are we clear in this?"

"Yes," I moaned. I looked from his eyes to his mouth and back to his eyes again.

He brushed his lips across mine so lightly that I almost didn't feel it. I also didn't feel him get up from the couch. When I reached for him but he wasn't there. He was already standing at the door.

"I must go," he said. "Daylight will be upon on us soon."

I nodded.

"I will see you tomorrow night," he said.

Again, I nodded.

With his back to me, he said, "Tell you grandfather that my answer is yes. I will bond with you but not on his terms. You and I will decide together when this will happen. And when that decision is made, it will not be because you want my protection … which I will freely give to you. You will never travel without me. You will never be without me. Before and after we are bonded, I am with you."

Finding my voice, I said, "I will tell him. Thank you for your consideration and the education of the bonding process. It is much appreciated."

He laughed outright. "Goodnight, Sookie."

"Goodnight, Eric."

And with that said, he was gone.


	11. Chapter 11

**11**

 **Lunch with Dad**

 **I want to thank everyone for their reviews, favorites, and alerts. I also want to apologize for the delay in posting the chapter. I work in the mental health field and this time of year is always the hardest for them. And it's always the busiest for me. I want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday. Whatever religion or holiday you celebrate, I hope that it's a wonderful one.**

 **As always, the story idea is mine but these wonderful characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

* * *

The next morning, I told my grandpa how things were going to go with Eric. I told him some of what Eric and I discussed last night and that we'd devised a plan of our own. I let him know that we were going to bond but in time. I let him know that Eric wanted me to think it over before committing to something as permanent as a blood bond with a vampire. "He wants to make sure that I want to do this," I explained. "He said that once it's done, it's done. And I agree with him, grandpa. If this is going to be lifelong, I want to make sure that Eric and I will stay together."

Grandpa cocked an eyebrow. "As a working relationship, you mean," he said.

"Possibly. It could be more than that," I answered truthfully.

"Are you saying that you have feelings for Eric?"

I didn't answer him. I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Okay," he replied as he smiled at me. "If this is what you want to do, wait to bond with him, then I can wait it out. Just don't wait too long. The supe world moves faster than the human world. Time seems to stand still but it doesn't. It never has. Don't wait too long to make this decision, Sookie."

"We won't," I assured him.

Grandpa didn't seem happy about this revelation but he accepted it. He agreed that I could work for Eric, for now, as long as I didn't work with any royals or pack leaders. It was an agreement that he and I both signed off on. Gran listened in but didn't chime in. I could tell that she had a lot to say but she remained quiet. Stoic and quiet.

After I'd left him and Gran in the kitchen this morning, I'd assumed that everything was fine. We'd reached an understanding. Grandpa was cool with what was going to happen and Gran didn't voice her opinions. That was that. I was going to go ahead with my day as planned.

After I'd showered and gotten dressed, I went to the kitchen to let my grandparents know that I was going out to meet dad for lunch. Sam didn't need me to come in after all. He called to let me know that he didn't need me to come in to get the new girl started. He's going to let Eric's waitresses train her. "I'm sure that they can handle it, Sook," he said. "They're trained to perfection but I expected that since they work for the Northman. Nevertheless, I'm going to miss you and I appreciate you finding someone to take your place."

It was no big deal. That's what friends do. They help each other out. "I wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to leave you high and dry. I couldn't do that to you, Sam. You're my friend."

He chuckled. "And you're mine. Look, I have to get out in the bar. We're busy today. Don't be a stranger now that you're working for the vampires. I still want to see you every once in a while."

"And you will," I promised.

And so I headed down the stairs to tell my grandparents about my change of plans but unbeknownst to me, I'd walked in on the tail end of an argument. And it was a bad one. Don't get me wrong. I've heard my grandparents argue before but it was never like this. And don't say anything about me eavesdropping. There are rules to eavesdropping. As long as you know that the people are talking about you, it's okay to listen.

That's what I kept telling myself as I listened in.

"I will not send her to him," grandpa whisper yelled at Gran. "His intentions for her are not good ones and you know it. Her life will never be her own."

"But, Fintan," Gran said. "She will be out of harm's way. You said yourself that the world that she's going into is not a world of good intentions. At least he'll keep her close to him. If you love her, you will do this."

"No and if you love her, you would not suggest that I do this. I will not allow this," Fintan proclaimed. He sighed. And from experience, I knew that he'd closed his eyes in order to calm himself before speaking to her again. "Adele, we can't do this to her. We _won't_ do this to her. She is our family. She is _our_ responsibility. You know what awaits her there. You know that it will destroy her. She would not be the woman that we've raised her to be. We didn't do it to our son and we will not do it to her. She belongs here and here is where she's going to stay."

I could hear my grandma sniffle. "I know, Fintan," she said. "But she'll be alive. Wouldn't you rather she be alive?"

My grandpa chuckled. "I would," he said. "More than anything I want her to live a long and full life. But I also want her to live a happy life. A life that she chooses to live. Not one that was forced upon her. She won't have that there. And, my love, it's not our choice to make. If she ever decides that she wants to go to him, it will be of her own volition."

Wait a minute. Isn't he the same one that told me that I needed to bond with Eric or I couldn't work for him? Didn't he make a decision for me?

"And I know that I told her that she needed to bond with the Northman but the night after meeting him, she was immediately drawn to him," he said. "You should've seen her with him, Adele. She was intrigued and unafraid. She chose him without even realizing it. I may have nudged her in the right direction but in the end, the decision was hers to make. She could have told me no but I knew that she wouldn't do that. I knew that she'd understand the reasons behind her need to bond with him. I also knew that she would do what she had to do regardless of what I'd said. She has the right to make her own choices."

My grandpa was spying on me?! Unbelievable. I can't believe that my grandpa was standing in the woods outside of a vampire bar and spying on me. I'm in my twenties and my grandpa still treats me like a baby. And I love it.

My grandma started to laugh. "She's always made her own choices. Our Sookie has never given in to the norm."

And I never will but I will be smarter about my choices. Next time, I won't be so impulsive what my decisions. I will think things through before jumping in feet first. I want to keep my family safe. They're all that I have. Grandpa opened my eyes last night and I appreciate that more than anything.

Grandpa laughed with her. "And can't you see that the Northman was the right choice? She did right in choosing to work for Eric. If she'd worked for any other vampire, things would be different. They would have forced his or her blood into her especially after learning what she can do … what she is … who she is. He did not. He wants her to be his but on her terms. He's willing to bond with her but in time."

I peeked around the corner and looked at my grandparents. Grandpa had Gran's hand in his as he talked. "He will take care of her, Adele. Don't worry about Sookie. She has a level head on her shoulders. She knows what she's doing."

Gran stood up from her chair and stood behind grandpa. She placed her hands on his shoulders and began to massage them. "You're right, Fintan. I won't bring up the idea of sending her to him again. She knows what she's doing. I trust her."

That's when my grandpa turned around to face my gran. He smiled up at her as his hands began to slink up her dress.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I ran back into the living room and yelled out to my grandparents. "I'm going to meet dad for lunch! I'll see you guys later!"

"See you later, Sookie," Gran yelled out.

I heard nothing from grandpa.

As I grabbed my keys and my purse, I ran out of the front door … making sure that it slammed behind me. And only one thought came to me and I continued to run to my car.

I'll never eat in that kitchen again.

* * *

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

* * *

My dad was already at Crawdad's waiting for me. When I walked through the doors, he stood up and opened his arms. Just as I always do, I walked into them and hugged him to me. When we have our lunch dates, the first sight of my dad, is always the best one until I look down at the table. This time was no different. I looked down at our table and noticed that he had a file with him. He always has a file with him when he meets with me. I sometimes wonder if he's only meeting with me so that can further his career. I fear that the answer yes.

As I released him and took the seat across from his, I said, "I see that you've brought a file with you." I tried to keep the acrimony out of my voice but I didn't do a very good job. "What new case are you working on this time?"

He cleared his throat as he sat down. "It's just case that I have to take to the DA's office," he said. "I just thought that you'd want to look it over but you don't have to do it right now. It's just some follow-up stuff. It's also not important. I just want to spend some time with my daughter," he conveniently added. "You know how much this time means to me."

"Yeah," I replied half-heartedly. "I don't feel like looking at files right now anyway. I just want to spend some time with my dad." I just want us to be how we once were. We haven't been that in a very long time. We're usually working on a case that he can't solve on his own. And we always meet on days when mom is going to be visiting her sister or either her family. If he has to hide that he's meeting me for lunch from my mom, we may never get back to where we used to be.

"How have you been?" he asked. "We haven't talked in a couple of days. I've been thinking about you and your new career. I hope everything is as you expect it to be."

"I'm good," I shared. "I've started working at that bar … the bar called Fangtasia. I'm going to be using my gifts to help out a new friend of my mine. I helped him out last night and it went very well. I got my first case. I think that I'm going to like working there."

Dad nodded. "I'm glad to hear that."

I shrugged my shoulder as I looked at my menu. I didn't believe him and I didn't need to see the look of disapproval in his eyes. I wasn't going to let him ruin this for me.

"I am, Sookie," he said. "I mean it. I want you to be happy. And if this new venture makes you happy then I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," was all that I could say. I still wasn't too sure if I believed him.

"What can I get 'cha, honey?" the waitress asked. She stared at me for a long time. I saw something flash in her eyes but heard nothing of importance in her mind. She was thinking of what she and her boyfriend were going to do after work.

"I'll have the chicken and dumplings with a side salad," I said as I smiled at her. "I'd like bleu cheese dressing with that, please."

"You got it. And you," she said to my dad as she scribbled down my order. She was still glancing at me as she waited for my dad to give her his order.

"Let me get the double burger deluxe with extra fries with a scoop of chili and sour cream." Daddy frowned as he looked at her but said nothing. I could see his body tense but got nothing but the menu choices from his mind.

"You got it too," she said. She took the menus from the table and walked her way to the kitchen.

"So," dad said as he watched her walk away. "How are things going with your grandparents?"

"Wonderfully," I answered. "Wonderfully and mind numbing." My mind instantly went to this morning. To the scene that I didn't actually see but couldn't stop replaying the possibilities over and over again in my mind. I shuddered at the thought. I cringed as I imagined what they were doing in that kitchen.

Dad laughed. "Newlyweds and they've been married for over fifty years."

"It's wonderful," I said. I then rested my elbows on the table as I leaned forward to ask my dad about the conversation that I'd overheard this morning. "Dad, I heard them talking about something this morning that bothered me. Has grandpa ever mentioned anything to you about a long distance relative that we have? A relative from his side of the family?"

When my dad fidgets with his tie, I know that he's nervous and that he's about to hide something from me. He placed his hand on top of the file and asked, "What do you mean, Sookie? He hasn't said anything to me about him." He looked, once again, in the direction of the waitress.

Frowning, I asked, "How do you know that it's a 'him', dad? I didn't mention anything about his or her sex. Are you hiding something from me too?"

Dad laughed. "No," he proclaimed. "I wouldn't hide anything from you. I couldn't even if I tried. You know that I've never been able to hide anything from you." He continued to mumble about not being to hide things from me as he sipped at his water. He looked at me over the rim of his glass. He was laughing as he put the glass back on the table. He was even laughing as he drummed his fingers on the table. My dad was nervous and I wanted to know why.

So, I did what I do best. I went into his mind.

 _Please don't ask me his name. Please don't ask me his name. I don't like talking about him. Do, da do. Do, da do_.

"Who's name, dad?"

He waggled his point finger at me and shook his head no. "You're not going to get me to say it. I won't say his name."

 _Niall_.

"Who's …?"

"Shhh!" he whispered. "Shhh. We don't say his name out loud. You never know who's listening. There are minds here that are not like our own." He began speaking to me mentally … _the waitress. She's a faery. I don't know what kind but she is a faery. Her colors tell me so._

I nodded as I leaned back in my seat. I just assumed that the minds belonged to humans, Weres, and shifters but the look on my dad's face told me that there was more here. And that meant that there definitely were faeries among us. He can see the colors of the supes. I can't see colors. I can only hear minds. I can hear all minds except for the minds of the vampires and the fae. The fae minds are hidden completely from me. They can be in a room with me and I'd never know it. They blend in with the human minds. Whatever a human is thinking, the thought suddenly becomes theirs. Tricky. I know.

"Is she the only one?" I whispered.

 _Just the one. The waitress_.

"Okay."

 _Text dad_.

I whipped my phone out and did as I was told. Grandpa needed to know so that he could be on alert. "Done," I said.

" _Do you have your dagger_?"

I nodded as I put my purse on the table. "Always," I promised. "You?"

He patted his jacket pocket to let me know that he has his gun with him. More likely than not it was loaded with the iron bullets that were specially made by my grandpa's well known supe friend. That man can get any weapon that's needed.

" _Take it out when she returns_ ," he said.

"Her colors," I said. "What were her colors?"

" _It doesn't matter_. _I don't think she's of the sky fae. I can't really tell. Her colors keep changing. I don't trust her_ _. As far as I'm concerned, she will kill us if given the chance. I'm almost sure that she can tell what we are but I'm not definite. Regardless, get your dagger out. We don't know what she'll do when she comes back. Stay alert, Sookie._ "

I did as he ordered.

He removed his weapon from its holster just as she began walking towards the table. He began to tell me about his 'new' service revolver. An instant smile appeared on his face as he began talking about his gun. "I know how much you like guns and I couldn't wait to show you this one. Get a look at this here. We just got these in last week." He opened the chamber and showed me the bullets that were already in it before handing it to me. "Heavy, isn't it?"

I continued to look at my dad as I watched the waitress from the corner of my eye. "Wow, dad," I proclaimed. "This is so nice." I removed the clip and studied the bullets before putting it back in. "I want one of these so badly but look at this. My knife collection has grown by one. I picked this beauty up at the knife show in Shreveport last weekend. What do you think of this? Look at the designs on this baby."

I removed my dagger from its sheath and handed it to dad. "Sweet," he exclaimed as he played with it.

I knew what my dad was doing. He wanted me to have the gun just in case I couldn't handle a physical fight with the fae. We've been trained to protect ourselves but I am his daughter and dad is going to do what he has to to keep me protected. He was going to take his chances with the dagger. Dad wasn't going to risk my safety or my life.

Just as I'd handed it him, she stopped midway to our table. She just looked at us. Her eyes were wide with fear and surprise. She almost looked shocked at what we'd done. She looked at me and dad before looking down at our tray of food. She decided to wipe the look of surprise from her face and replace it with a smile. "I think I forgot your sour cream, sir. I'm just going to place the tray right here and I'll be right back."

"Don't worry about it," dad announced. The dagger was still in his hand. "I don't need the sour cream anyway. My wife has put me on a diet. She said that I'm getting a little wide in the middle." He patted his stomach for emphasis. He motioned for her to come to him. "Bring that food on over here. I'm starving." He began to hungrily rub his hands together.

She continued to just stand there. Not moving. Not bringing us our food.

Dad and I looked at each other for a brief moment. Smiling at her, I asked, "Are you okay?"

She remained rooted in place. Not saying a word or moving an inch.

Dad decided to get up and approach her; keeping the dagger in his hand. He took the tray from her hands as he kept the dagger pointed at her. "I've got it from here."

She quickly snatched her hands from the tray as she glanced at him but kept her eyes on me.

"Thanks for bringing the food halfway to the table," I said.

She nodded at me and turned away from us.

I guess she doesn't get sarcasm.

"Don't eat it," he said. "She knows what we are."

I did as my dad said but placed my spoon in the bowl for effect. "Is that why we don't mention his name? Because of who he is? What he could be to us?"

"Yes," dad warned. He looked in the direction of the bar to see if she was watching us and she was. He was smiling and waved. Luckily, Catfish Hennessey was getting up from his table just as dad looked at the waitress. He returned his attention to me and opened the file. "She is why we don't mention his name." He began pulling papers from file as I pretended to read them. "There aren't many of us left … Brigants (whispered). We have to be careful of what we say and where we say it."

I picked up the piece of paper and began reading it. "I see," I said. "Why would your superior suggest sending anyone to the feds knowing the dangers that they could possibly be in?"

Dad frowned. "Which one suggested that?"

"Gran," I whispered. "Grandpa was angry about it. He refused."

Dad pushed his plate to the side and opened the file. He removed a paper from it and pretended to be going over it with me. "She's afraid for those that she loves. She believes that it'll be safer because of the security that surrounds the building. If you are not a part of his team, there is no way that you can get in or out."

 _Castle and guards_ , he said to me.

This Niall must be the king of faeries and if that's true, why do the other faeries want to kill us? It doesn't make sense to me but it obviously makes since to grandpa. "Is that why grandpa wants me to bond with a vampire?"

Dad nodded. "If he says to do it, do it. He won't steer you wrong. I give you my word."

"I believe you," I assured him.

He closed the file as he dropped his weary head.

I suddenly felt guilty. "Don't worry about me, dad. I'm going to be okay. I'm going to be safe."

He gripped my hand in his but didn't speak. "It's going to be fine."

My heart was breaking for my dad. I guess me working for vampires wasn't making things any better for him. He was worried about me, tired and overworked. I guessed that I could help him out one last time. "I can take the file if you want me to," I offered. "I can read over it and maybe get a feel of what's going on."

Dad surprised me because he said no. "There's nothing for you to get a feel of, Sookie," he said. "I didn't come here to get you to help me. I really just wanted to have lunch with you. As I said, it's just a follow-up. This is a file that I have to take with me to court. It's about the Rene Leneir case. They DA is preparing it for trial."

That surprised me. I thought that it was a new case that he wanted me to work on. "Oh," I said. "Okay."

I then added the feeling of shame to my dad's plethora of emotions. "I can see why you didn't believe me. I've done this to you … to us. I'm sorry. I never should've used you in order to further my career. I was wrong. I hope that you can forgive me for what I've done."

"You needed my help and I gave it to you. You're my dad." I sighed. "Back then, it was no big deal."

He shook his head and said, "Yeah. It was and it is. I also should've stood up for you with your mother. I shouldn't have let her put you out. After everything that you've done for me, I should've done that one simple thing for you." He gripped my hand tighter. "I'm sorry, Sookie."

I wasn't going to say that it was okay that he didn't stand with me against mom and I wasn't going to say that I understand because it wasn't and I don't. So, I did the next best thing. "I forgive you," I said.

Dad took the papers from me and placed them back in the folder. He glanced to see if the waitress was still watching us and she was. So, he pulled his plate back in front him and I picked up my spoon to pretend that I was about to eat. Just was we were about to 'eat', his phone went off and mine began to ring. We were saved by the bells. We knew before answering that it was grandpa.

He pressed a single number on his phone and announced, "On my way."

I answered my call and said the same thing to my grandpa. "I'm on my way."

"Sam is outside waiting on you and Corbett," he said. "He's not alone. Leave now."

"I love you, too," I said. We began to gather our things as we prepared to leave.

Before doing so, dad dropped the money on the table for our meal.

"I'll leave the tip," I jokingly offered.

Daddy laughed. "We could leave her a $20-dollar tip for stellar service. She made me serve our food and everything. I think she deserves the $20." He draped his arm over my shoulder as we walked out of the restaurant together. He kissed my forehead as we left.

Once we reached my car I hugged him to me once more. "I love you, daddy," I said as I released him from my hug.

"I love you too, Sookie. And thanks," he said.

Frowning at him, I asked, "For what?"

He laughed. "For calling me daddy. You've been calling me dad since your mom and I made you leave. It's nice to hear you call me daddy again. Thanks."

I laughed at him as I unlocked my car door. "You're nuts." I shook my head as I got in.

In the car next to mine, Sam was sitting in his truck with Big John sitting next to him. I could see the barrel of the shotgun that Big John was holding in between his legs. I knew that it was ready to be unloaded on anyone that made a wrong move.

"I love you, Sookie."

I rolled my window down and waved bye to my daddy. "See ya later, daddy," I said I began to pull away.

"Hey," he yelled out.

I stopped my car and leaned out of the window. "What?"

"I don't want this to be over," he said. "We didn't even get to eat. Let's go to Sam's place."

I gave my dad the thumbs up. "I'll meet you there."

"I bet that I'll be there before you are," he said.

I couldn't believe him. "Daddy, you're a cop. You're not just a cop. You're a detective. Are you trying to get into trouble?"

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I won't tell if you don't."

"You _are_ nuts," I repeated. "I'm not racing you, dad."

"Come on, Sook," he began. "I'll …"

I never got to hear the rest of his sentence because I sped away laughing.

It was a good day.


	12. Chapter 12

**12**

 **Stakeout**

 **I hope that everyone has had a wonderful New Year. I hope that 2017 is going to be great for each and every one of you. Here is the next chapter. I want to apologize for not posting it sooner but it's better than never, right?**

 **Anyway, I want to thank all of you for reading, favoriting, alerting, and reviewing my story. I appreciate all of you. The story idea belongs to me but these wonderfully, amazing characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

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I made it to Fangtasia with thirty minutes to spare. I didn't see Eric's car as I'd hoped but I was glad about that. I was going to get a chance to see how Pam operates when she's one on one with the patrons. I'll bet she's a hoot. If you didn't catch that, it was pure sarcasm. I couldn't see Pam being a hoot at any time ever but I did see her. She was sitting at the door terrorizing the patrons. And I just knew that deep down inside, she probably enjoyed that more than anything in her undead life. The gleam in her beautiful blue eyes told me all that I needed to know.

I took the empty seat next to hers and sat down. She glanced briefly at me as she took the money from the wannabe fangbanger that stood before her. "I heard of your proposition to my master. You are one of great nerve." She turned to face me head on as she gave the young girl permission to go inside. "I don't say this to many people but I admire your gumption, your bravery." Her face showed not a sign of emotion. "Come to think of it, I've never said it to anyone." She shrugged her shoulders and went back to the patrons that were waiting in line.

This guy was looking at Pam as he smiled and nodded. His hands were on his hips. "Hi," he said.

"Your money," she said.

"I'll let you bite me if you let me in for free," the guy said to her. He even had to gall to wink at her.

Pam looked the man up and down as she sneered at him. "I do not eat trash. Get the fuck out of here."

He looked pained. "But I …"

Pam dropped fang on him.

The guy backed away with his hands up in the surrender motion.

She watched him drive out of the parking lot before returning to her seat.

I laughed. "I can't believe you said that to him. What if he doesn't come back?"

"Who cares?" she responded. She carded the next ten patrons without missing a beat. "He has no money and he smells of trash. His diet is absolutely atrocious. I cannot believe that you could not smell the stink in him. And who cares if he does not come back? Who is going to miss him?" Pam then looked over her shoulder. "Maxwell Lee," she called out. "Come and relieve me of my post. I am done here for the night."

A handsome, African American vampire sidled up to her and said, "You've only been doing this for thirty minutes, Pam. You're supposed to do at least two hours."

Pam ignored him completely as she took my hand and pulled me inside the bar behind her. She led me down a hallway that took us through to the gift shop and to an office that was in the back. It had to have been hers because it was covered in everything pink. Pink carpeting. Pink walls. Pink floral chairs with a matching couch. The only thing that wasn't pink was the desk. It was white.

She sailed to the seat behind the desk while I took the seat in front of it. With the way that she stared at me, I knew that things were now very serious. No one was going to be making any jokes anytime soon. "Now, tell me why you want to bond with Eric."

"You sure are nosy," I answered.

"He is my maker," she replied. "I have to keep him protected … even if I am protecting him from … whatever you are. I want to know what you are doing and why you are doing it."

"He didn't tell you?"

"He did not."

I studied her before replying. "If that's the case, then it's really none of your business. If he wanted you to know, he would have told you and since he didn't, maybe he doesn't want you to know. Maybe he thinks that it's also none of your business." I stared her down after I spoke.

"Tell me," she ordered

"Why should I?" I asked.

"Because he is important to me," she shared. "I do not want to see him hurt. I like you, Sookie, but I will kill you if you hurt him. On that, you have my word."

I could see in her eyes that she meant it. She would have drained me of every drop of my blood. Even though she meant it, I still wasn't afraid but I was going to tell her anyway. He obviously wanted her to know if he'd told her of my offer. He may not have told her everything but he told her some things. "What I'm about to tell you has nothing to do with your petty threat. You don't scare me. I just wanted to make that clear."

"It is," she said.

I proceeded to tell her why I need to bond with her master. "I'm part fae and I'm a Brigant. My grandfather's name is Fintan Brigant. He said that if I am to work in the supe world, I need strong protection. He said that Eric is the only one that can keep me safe. He said that Eric is the only vampire that I can truly trust. I believe him and so I asked."

Pam's face was blank. Her eyes were unblinking. I know that vampires are dead but she really looked dead. I didn't know what to do or to say. From experience, I knew that she wasn't in a coma. I could only guess that she was thinking over the things that I'd said to her. Not too long later, she blinked. "Thank you for telling me," she replied.

"No problem," I said. "But you're still nosy."

The corner of her mouth twitched just a bit. She didn't say anything for a few seconds as she continued to stare me down. I knew that there was something that she wanted to say to me and lo and behold, I didn't have to wait too long for her to say it. "My master feels something for you," she said suddenly. "I don't quite know what it is but it's there. It is something new. I have never seen him act the way that he has since meeting you. I fear that you may become a distraction for him. He has lived over a thousand years. He does not need someone like you destroying the years of control that he has learned. Tell me, Sookie. Did someone send you here to us?

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Though I had every right to be anger, I remained calm. "No one sent me," I explained. "I came here because you had an ad in the paper. You were hiring and I applied for the job. Obviously, I got the job. I have no reason to want to hurt either of you. If I'd wanted to hurt you, you wouldn't be sitting here tonight. I could've kept quiet about the guy that came in here to take you but I didn't do that. I told both of you everything."

She looked as if she still didn't believe me. It was as if she didn't hear a word I'd said. "What are you hiding?"

I still wasn't mad. I was just a bit curious as to why she was questioning me as she was. "Are you serious?" I asked. "I have told both of you everything about me. I have nothing to hide. I am a commodity to you and your precious master. I wanted to work in the supe world. It's what I've wanted for a long time. Until last night, I didn't realize what I was getting myself into by doing this. I never thought that I'd be putting my family in danger. I never thought that other supes would want to steal me away from Eric but don't think for a second that I'm walking away from this. I'm taking the necessary precautions needed so that I can live the life that I want … if that's okay with you, Mistress Pam."

"I like the sound of that," she whispered. "Mistress Pam. Say it again."

"Eat rocks," I said.

She finally gave me a real smile. "I believe you, Sookie. I just had to be sure. You do understand."

"I do but I still would like to see you eat rocks."

The corned her mouth twitched. "Let's get back one of your earlier statements. Tell me what it means. Steal you away from Eric? Are you his now?"

"Yes," I proclaimed. "I may not be his by blood but I am his because I work for him. I've promised to be there when he needs me. So, yes. I belong to Eric."

Just as I said that, the door to the office came open and there he was. I could see a flicker of amusement in his eyes but it wasn't there for long. There was something else in his eyes … on his face. Obviously, Pam saw it too because she blurred from the behind that desk so fast, the wind of her movement caused my dress to flutter around my legs.

"Master," she said. "What is wrong?"

He continued to stare at me.

I stood up from my chair and walked to where he was. I stood by Pam. "What is it? Has something happened?"

"You need to come with me," he ordered. "Pam, you stay here. Maxwell Lee and Heidi will be here with you."

Pam's normally cool face held a look of concern. "What is wrong, Eric?"

"We will return. Stay here until we return," he said to her. He took my hand into his and led me out of the room. I turned to look at Pam. She winked at me as she closed the door behind us.

I thought that Eric and I were going to his office but we didn't. We walked through and out of the bar and to his car. A beautiful red corvette with licenses plates that read 'BLDSKR'. It was a classic beauty. Though I wanted to ride in it, I wasn't quite in the mood. I wanted to know what was going on. "Eric, you need to tell me what's going on," I said.

He said nothing as he deposited me in his car. He didn't talk the entire time as he drove me to where we needed to go and where we needed to go was to a dark and gloomy neighborhood. We parked in the parking lot of the church across the street to get a better look at the house that was directly across the street. It looked as if it was supposed to be abandoned but it wasn't. I could see the flicker of a candle through the ratty curtains. There was also a beat up old car in the driveway. The front door looked as if it was going to fall off of the hinges. I figured that if a good wind came along, the entire house would be nothing more than kindling.

"Where are we?" I asked as I looked at Eric.

"The human from last night," he began. He was staring straight ahead and at the house. "He was staying here."

"With a vampire?" I asked.

"Vampires are here but I don't know if he was with them," he said. "I couldn't get inside because it is the home of a human."

I nodded my head. "You want me to go inside so that you can get in?"

"No," he said as he looked at me. "As I told you last night, I would never put you in danger. You're here because I need to know if you can hear any minds."

"Yeah," I answered immediately. "There are two voids in the house and a human mind. I'm assuming that the voids belong to vampires. And the human. She may as well be a void. She's not thinking anything. There's nothing there. She's barely alive. She must be food. I don't believe that she is with them. Not like the man from last night. What are we going to do?"

"Listen," he said.

And that's what we did for over an hour. We didn't talk. We didn't laugh. We did nothing but listen. I wanted to ask Eric what we were listening for but I figured he wanted me to use my telepathy. And I was but nothing was coming through. Other than the vampires and the almost dead human that were holed up in the abandoned house, nothing was going on.

"A spy has told me that he has heard some things," Eric finally shared. He was still staring at the house as he talked. "It is believed that someone wants to take Pam to get to me. A vampire of great standing from what I comprehend."

I turned around to face him fully. "Why would someone be after you?"

"I am an old vampire, Sookie," he said. "There aren't very many vampires that are my age left in this country. Most of them live in Europe and would never set foot in this country." He chuckled. "It is beneath them."

"Hmpf," I said. "America's not so bad."

He looked at me from the corner of his eye and smiled.

"Why are they after you?" I asked again.

"I am also a fierce fighter," he said. "My age and strength scares many vampires that hold high positions in our world. The kings and queens that have held their seats for many years want to keep holding those seats. The thought of an elder moving into their areas terrifies them."

I knew what he was saying to me. I know now why he needed me here with him. "How long have you been in Louisiana?"

"Since the reveal," he answered. "Six years now."

"Do you want to reign over a kingdom?" I asked. "Do you want to be king?"

He slowly shook his head no. "It is something that has never interested me."

"So, why are they sending someone after Pam? Is it because you've been here too long? Do you move a lot?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "You are very smart, Sookie. And yes. It is because I've been here for too long. I never stay in one place for too long. No one place has ever made me want to stay for very long. I'm always on the move but something made me stay here." He stared into my eyes and said, "Maybe that something is you."

"Maybe," I agreed. I looked back at the house.

For the next thirty minutes, Eric and I didn't speak to each other again. That is, until another car suddenly pulled in the driveway of the ratty house.

"It's a human. It's another woman."

Eric sat taller in his seat … which almost seemed to be quite impossible.

"She doesn't want to be there but she was sent there," I continued. "Her mind is so rushed that I can only get bits and pieces of what she's thinking. She has some instructions for them. He's going to be really pissed if they eff up this time."

I could hear Eric's fangs click into place. "Can you see who 'he' is?"

I shook my head no. "Nope," I said. "But he is from Louisiana, Eric. She keeps thinking that she can't wait to get back to him." I suddenly got out of the car and ran to the driver's side. "Move over."

Eric just looked over at me.

"Move over," I repeated as I began to get in the already crowded seat.

Eric slid to the passenger's seat with such ease.

I cranked the car and drove down the road just a ways before turning back around. I parked behind the cover of some trees as we waited for the woman to come out of the house. "She gave them an envelope," I said. "She said that everything that they needed is in there."

"Do you know what it says … the letter?"

I shook my head no. And with that said, I pulled up at the end of the driveway … with car still running. I reached into his glovebox and took out the outdated map. I quickly unfolded it and looked at Eric. "Don't get out."

When I reached for the door handle, he grabbed my arm to stop me. "I can't let you go in there without me, Sookie. You have my protection."

"I'm not going in," I promised. "Trust me."

He stared at me for a moment before removing his hand from my arm.

With the rumpled map in my hands, I got out of the car just as the woman was backing out of the driveway. I began waving my arms back and forth as I ran up to her window. She frowned at me as she let the window down just a smidge. "Yeah?" she said.

I brushed a stray hair from my brow and I raised my map. "My GPS died and I have to use this map. I am trying to get to Baton Rouge and I am completely lost. Could you please let me know where I am and where I need to go? I have a big job interview tomorrow and I don't want to miss it. I'm supposed to meet a very important vampire there at dusk and I don't want to be late."

With the looks that she was giving me, I could tell that she didn't believe me. I could also see in her mind that she didn't believe me to be a fang banger. "This is my first time being around vampires and I want to make a good impression. I really need this job. Please," I begged her. "I _desperately_ need this job. My family needs the money. Could you please help me?"

She finally believed me. She got out of the car and took the map from me. She placed it on the hood of her car and began explaining to me what I needed to do to get back on track. "Do you have a pen?" she asked.

I whipped one from my purse and handed it to her. "Right here."

As she talked and drew on the map, I let my arm rest lightly against hers. She was working for someone in New Orleans. I couldn't see who it was. I could see the faces of those that were around her. They were sitting at a table. There was only three of them. I could see the faces of the two other vampires but not the face of the vampire that employs her. It was as if his face had been blurred from her memory. If I wasn't aware of glamor, I would find that to be odd.

"I know that it seems like a long route but you'll get there on time. I promise you," she assured me. "You won't be late for your appointment if you follow my directions to the letter. You'll be there in no less than four hours."

I hugged her as I feigned excitement. "You don't know how much I appreciate this. Thank you so much."

I still couldn't see the vampire's face.

She smiled at she lightly patted me on the back. "It's okay." She then turned around and looked at the house. "You need to go," she said when she gave her attention to me. "You don't need to be out here alone. This is not a safe place."

I took my map from the hood her car and thanked her once again. "Thank you," I called out as I ran to Eric's car.

She pulled away just as I'd gotten into the car. Eric was watching me as I folded up the map and put it back in the glovebox. When I leaned over him, his fangs clicked into place. He inhaled the scent of my hair and pulled me close to him. "I want you."

I suddenly felt nervous and crowded in the small yet powerful car. I didn't know what to do or say so I began rambling off what little bit of information I got from the woman. "The vampire that she's working for is in New Orleans. I couldn't see his face but I could see the faces of the two vampires that were with him. They were men. I'm not sure but they could possibly be the vampires that are in that house. The lady that I was speaking with, she was in there with them. She belongs to the vampire that's in charge." My nervousness began to subside as I continued talking. "I think that whatever they discussed in front of her, was glamored from her mind. It had to have been. Because I touched her, I should've been able to see everything that they'd done. I should've been able to hear everything that was said but I got nothing. He must not trust her."

The passenger's seat was soon leaned all the way back and I was on top of Eric. Don't ask me how he did it, but he did it. He had my body pressed against his and he was nuzzling my neck. His strong arms were wrapped around my waist.

I stared into his eyes. "We're supposed to be working," I whispered.

"We are," he said. "Kiss me, Sookie."

I licked my lips as I looked down at him. I didn't want my first kiss to be at a stakeout. I wanted it to be some place romantic. I wanted it to be unforgettable and mind blowing. I wanted it to be the best kiss of my life. And it was.

My heart was racing at the very thought of kissing him and my breathing was unsteady. Though I didn't know what to do, I wanted to do it. I brushed my lips over his. I traced my finger along his handsomely, rugged face. I noticed the scar that was over his right eye as I studied his face. I traced my finger over the scar as I wondered how he got it. I wondered if it was from the battle that he'd fought to regain control of his father's kingdom. I wondered if he even notices it anymore. I smiled as I noticed the flecks of a darker blue that sparkled in his eyes. And just like that, my lips met his. The warmth of his kiss sent electricity through my body as I melted into him. He forced my mouth closer to his as his hand cupped the back of my head. His arm tightened around me as the kiss deepened. I couldn't believe that it was happening. I couldn't believe that I was having my first kiss with Eric Northman in the front seat of his car at a vampire stakeout. I couldn't believe that one kiss could make my head spin and heart pound relentlessly in my chest. And I couldn't believe, that just like that, it was over.

I placed my fingertips to my swollen lips as I stared down at him. I wanted more.

"You are mine," he growled.

I couldn't speak so I nodded.

"Fuck, she smells sweet," the bald vampire said as he stared into the car at us.

My hair covered Eric's face as I looked out into the night.

The darker vampire appeared from behind him as rubbed his hand over his … thing. "I want some of her." His fangs dropped into place.

"You can't have any," I said to him. "I'm not for you."

Eric's arms tightened around me. My hair still covered his face.

The dark vampire leaned closer to the window and stared into my eyes. "Let down this window, girl, and come to me."

I smiled as I gave him the finger. "No."

I could feel Eric smiling against my hair.

"Don't make us kill your companion," the bald vampire threatened. "We are not above murder."

I was soon in the backseat of Eric's car and he was facing my would be attackers. "I'm glad to hear that," he said as he got out of the car but not before locking me in. "I can kill you both without consequence."

And before I knew it, blood was covering the passenger side window.


	13. Chapter 13

**13**

 **I'm Trying to Save You**

 **I apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. I've been having a hectic time at work and it's interfering with imagination. I'm going to keep writing and posting. Don't get me wrong. I love this. I need this because my RL can be a bit too much sometimes and I need this in order to escape. I just want you all to know that I am not going to abandon the story. I will complete it. I just hope that y'all continue to read it even if I'm a couple of days late in posting the chapters.**

 **Thank y'all so much for reading, reviewing, alerting, and making this story a favorite. And as always, the story idea is mine but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

The last remaining vampire didn't move too much after what Eric did to his associate. He obliterated him into nothing. Malcolm, the still technically alive vampire's name, he let Eric tie him to the chair and he was trembling. He didn't have too much of a choice but to let Eric tie him to the chair because he had no legs. That's right. Eric ripped the guy's legs clean off and the he tied the stumps with some old sheets that he'd found so that he wouldn't bleed to death. He said that he didn't want him bleeding to death before he'd gotten all that he needed from him. And they worked perfectly. Anyway, Malcolm, he was absolutely terrified and little bit surprised. He obviously believed that I was making out with a human and not a vampire. I think that the lone vampire expected to see me in the exact same state he was in … trembling and afraid but I wasn't. I wasn't afraid at all. I stood at Eric's side as we both studied the now docile vampire's face.

I took a step closer to him with Eric standing right next to me. "He's not going to tell you." I looked closer into the vampire's eyes as I shook my head. "He rather you kill him than face what's waiting for him in New Orleans if he doesn't do the job that's been given to him."

Eric looked down at me.

Still staring at Malcolm, I answered his unasked question. "No, I can't read his mind. Can't you see it?" I asked him. "His eyes tell me everything."

"I ain't afraid of nothing!" he spat at me.

"But you are," I refuted. "Who sent you?"

He laughed at me instead of answering my question.

"Sookie," Eric said.

I looked up at him and he looked amazing. I know that he'd just ripped a vampire to shreds but it didn't matter to me. He'd killed the vampire so that he could save his child from whatever fate that would have awaited her. I didn't see a killer standing next to me. I saw a protector. I saw the reason why my grandpa wants me to bond with him. I knew right then that I'd do whatever he'd ask of me. "Yes," I answered.

"I need to check the rest of the house," he said. He moved me a few steps away from the vampire and said, "Stay right here. I won't be long."

"Okay," I promised.

With that said, Eric was blurring through the house and checking out our surroundings. I glanced to my right and the almost dead girl on the couch was barely moving. Her breaths were coming in minimal gasps. Her mind was moving in slow motion. Her memories were only sad ones and it broke my heart. She was going to die and there was nothing that I could do about it. I knew that Eric wouldn't save her. There was no way that he was going to give her his blood. He likes me and he's making me wait so I know that she doesn't stand a chance. She is nothing to him. She meant even less than that to Malcolm. She was about to be a distant memory to everyone that has entered this house. Sadly, she didn't have too much longer before she faded into nothing.

As I looked at her, I asked the vampire, "Why did you do that to her? Look at her. She's dying here and she's alone. She'll never see her family again and it's because of you." I finally looked at him and asked, "Why does she deserve to die like this?"

"She's fucking cattle," he said. "She's nothing more than food to me."

A tear slid over my cheek. "She's somebody's daughter."

"Not mine," he laughed. "Do you cry for that heifer while you're eating your rancid steaks ... your disgusting hamburgers?"

I didn't have anything to say because he was right. Humans are no more than food to vampires just as cattle is no more than food to me. It doesn't mean that I agree with what he's done to her. It just means that I understand what he meant ... what he is.

"I didn't think so," he said as he continued to laugh.

I smiled at him as I cocked my head to the side. I began to laugh with him.

That caused him to look at me funny. It made him a bit uneasy. His laugh ended just as quickly as it began. "Why do you laugh?"

I took a few steps back and grabbed the chair that was just behind me. I slid it to where I was standing and sat down. "Because you're right and you're funny."

His nostrils flared and fangs dropped.

I crossed my legs as I leaned back in the chair. "Weaklings always amuse me and you, sir, are a weakling. So you amuse me."

"I'm a fucking vampire, you fang banging bitch!" He obviously doesn't like being called a weakling.

I sighed as I shook my head at him. "A spineless vampire and for your information, I am not a fangbanger. I am a lady. I am always a lady." I pointed at the girl and said, "I understand that vampires have to eat but you kill humans because you're too afraid to kill the vampire that's got your panties all in a bunch. You didn't even have the decency to take this girl out of her misery but I'm not too surprised. You don't even have the guts to stand up for yourself." I looked at his stumps and laughed at my own joke.

I could tell that he wanted to get at me but Eric had him tied so tightly to the chair, there was no way that he could move. He would have tipped over. "As soon as I'm free, I'm going to kill you."

I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. And I believed him when he said that he would kill me. He would have. If he'd been given the chance, he would've done worse things to me than what he'd done to that poor girl. I wasn't upset about it at all. He'd seen his friend murdered. He was under the heel of a more powerful vampire and he was embarrassed. He hated that I could see that he was weak. I didn't want him to feel that way. I wanted to make him feel safe with me. Comfortable with me. I soon let the vampire see that I had pity for him. And I did. "I hate that you have to do something that's going to cause you to die. Your life matters too."

He frowned at me but said nothing.

I knew before I began speaking that what I was about to say to him wasn't going to make a difference. I just wanted to let him know that he wasn't alone in how he feels about his life and the choices that he's had to make. "All of my life, I've had to do and say things so that certain people would accept me for me," I shared. "I hated living like that but over time, I decided that it was okay to be me."

I chuckled as I shook my head no. "Don't get me wrong. It took me a while to get there but I did it. Some people accept me. Others … not so much. My grandparents have always been my greatest advocates. My dad used to tell me that I needed to hide what I can do but he didn't want me to hide it when I was helping him. My mother and brother, they've cut me off completely because I won't hide who I am anymore. Until I answered the master's ad, I never thought that I'd ever be given a chance to be the real me … openly. Hmmm," I said suddenly. "I guess I lived like a vampire for a long time. Hiding who I am. What I can do. Don't you hate that, Malcolm? Not being able to be free? Always hiding in the shadows?"

Eric stood in the doorway and looked at me.

I continued talking to Malcolm. "Couldn't you run away so that you can live?" I wasn't trying to be funny that time and I wanted him to know that. "I know that you can't run away right now but was that ever an option for you?"

"Pfft," Malcolm answered. "We don't run. If we run and get caught, it's only going to be worse for us. So, no. That was never an option for me."

"I get it," I validated. "Maybe the master can help you. Maybe he can hide you from the vampire that sent you here."

Eric continued to stare at me.

Malcolm eyed me suspiciously.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I mean you could ask him. All he can say is no."

Malcolm laughed hysterically. "Fuck you," he said. "And you're a joke anyway, lady. You say that you're not a fangbanger but you call him Master? Who do you think you're fooling in here?" He continued to laugh as he looked at me. "You're probably fucking him every chance that you get. I've heard about the Northman's sexual escapades. I've heard all about him. I'll bet that big cock of his has you wrapped around him every single night."

I jumped up from my seat and slapped him across the face. It hurt like heck but I didn't let him know that. I went back to my seat and sat down. "I am a lady, Malcolm, and you will not use such language when speaking to me."

He was a smidge closer to where Malcolm and I was but he was smiling. I guess he found it amusing that I'd slapped a crippled vampire across the face.

Once I was able to compose myself, I replied to Malcolm's previous comments. "I'm not trying to fool anyone," I assured him. "I call him Master because it's a sign of respect in your world." I glanced up at Eric briefly and said, "I respect him."

Malcolm sucked his teeth as he glared at me. "Was kissing him a part of your respect for him? Is fucking him a part of showing him respect?" I guess the slap meant nothing. He began to make vulgar moves with his body as he talked to me. "Do to me what you were doing to him in his car and I might fall for that bullshit story that you were just trying feed to me."

I wasn't even going to dignify his comment with a response. We had business to discuss and no more. "Have you ever thought of asking him to help you out of this?" I asked him once more.

Malcolm looked at me and shook his head no. "I have never thought of that. It would do me no good. And why do you fucking care? Do think that because you told me some fucking sob story that I am going to automatically tell you what's going on? Is that it? Are we supposed to be best friends now? Well, as I said earlier. Fuck you." He leaned forward in his seat and said, "I'm not telling you shit." He then did the unthinkable. He spat in my face.

That's when Eric came from behind him and punched him so hard that Malcolm and his chair was lodged into the wall. I reached up to wipe the spit from my face but he stopped me. He came to me and wiped the spit from my face and onto his shirt. And all while he was cleaning my face, he was glaring at Malcolm. I knew right then that no matter what Malcolm said to him, Eric was not going to let him live.

Eric studied my face for a few more seconds before removing Malcolm from the wall by his throat. "Where's the envelope?"

Malcolm looked at Eric and smiled. He patted his stomach and made a belching sound.

It doesn't matter.

I looked over to the girl. Her eyes were still closed but she'd spoken to me in my mind. I instantly went to where she was and kneeled down beside her. I wrapped my hand around hers. "What do you know?"

With Malcolm's throat still in his hand, Eric came to stand by me. "What do you hear?"

I shook my head. "Not much," I answered. "She said that it doesn't matter. What doesn't matter?"

They're going to take her.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

Pauline.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

I'm dying.

"Yes."

She inhaled deeply.

"Pauline," I said. "Do you mean Pam?"

Eric stood over my shoulder.

Nothing.

My hand tightened on hers. I could see Malcolm, the now dead vampire, and the lady from earlier and they were talking.

He wants her and he wants her soon, the woman said as she shoved the envelope in his hand.

Malcolm guffawed. Well, what the fuck does he want us to do? He never should've sent a human to do what a vampire could have done. Why didn't he get Long Shadow to take her? He had easier access to her than a human … than we do. He should've known that they were going to kill that guy. He looked like a drainer for pity's sake. What the fuck does he expect us to do? Has anyone heard from Long Shadow?

A blank look came over the woman's face. She didn't know what to say. She looked as if she had no idea who Long Shadow was. I don't know and I don't care. I was told to tell you that he wants her and he wants her soon. That's all I know. Now do it before he kills you both.

The now dead vampire laughed. He's not going to do shit. He's too afraid to take what he wants. That's why we're here. If he wasn't such a coward, he could take her. He's the one with all the power. He can just take her and be done with it.

None of that matters, the woman said. Just do as you're told.

Malcolm began to rub himself against the woman. Let's have a little fun before you go.

The woman looked at the girl on the couch and pointed. So that I can end up looking like her? No thanks. You know that you're not supposed to be killing people. If he finds out about this …

He won't, Malcolm promised. He continued to rub himself against her.

She pushed him away. You know that I belong to him. Get the fuck away from me and do your job. She then stormed out of the house.

Everything that I'd seen, I repeated to Eric. "That's all that I can see. Her mind is fading. She's dying," I whispered. I leaned down as to hear if any breaths were coming from Maudette. I swiped a tear from my cheek. "She's barely breathing."

Eric placed Malcolm and his chair back onto the floor. He whipped out his cell and began to dial. He was speaking in a hushed voice as he stood over me … watching over me … keeping me safe. I continued to watch over Pauline.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to her.

Her eyes opened just a bit as she rested her free hand on her chest. She said one more thing to me before she took one last breath. Her hand fell from her chest and she died. I reached out and took Eric's hand into mine and held onto it for dear life. I've seen four people die and I've only been doing this job for two nights.

"How did you do that?" Malcolm asked.

When I looked at him, he was wide eyed and surprised by me. "I'm a telepath."

He looked at Eric and asked, "You have a telepath?"

Eric punched him in the mouth as he continued talking on the phone.

I got up from the couch and stood by Eric. I waited for him to get off of the phone.

"How long have you been with him?"

I glared at the vampire instead of answering him.

Malcolm leaned forward in his seat and said, "He's supposed to turn you over. You are an asset."

"No," I said. "I'm his."

Malcolm closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He opened them and began to shake his head no. "You don't smell of him. You've never had his blood and you're a virgin. You've never been known to man or vampire. You're not his. You're fair game. If any other vampire smells you, they are going to know that you don't belong to him. They are going to take you can claim you as theirs." He licked his lips as he looked me up and down. "I wish that I had found you first. I would train you but good."

"I'm his," I repeated.

"She is mine," Eric declared as he put his phone into his pocket and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Master," I said. "Can we take her somewhere so that she won't have to be left in here ... never to be found? She didn't want to be left here. She wanted to go home."

He kissed the top of my head. "We can."

I looked up at him and I could see that he has so much love and understanding in him. I don't know if everyone can see it but it's there. I can see it. "Thank you," I said.

He nodded slightly and just like that, the tenderness was gone. "My child," he growled as he looked at the vampire. "Why do you want her?"

Malcolm said, "You ain't getting nothing out of me."

I squeezed Eric's hand as a way to get him to look at me.

He looked down at me.

I asked, "May I, Master?"

"You may," he said as his fangs made an appearance.

"Thank you." I stared into Malcolm's eyes for a few minutes and waited. I had to make this believable. "He's lying to you, Master," I finally said. "I can see it. It is Pam that they're after and it's because of you. You scare him … whoever 'him' is." I frowned as I leaned just a bit closer and squinted. "Whomever he works for is afraid of you. He's … he believes that you have too much power because of your age. He believes that if he takes Pam, he can keep you in line. He can hold her captivity over you."

Malcolm's eyes were the size of plates. I guess I'd hit the nail on the head. "You can read the minds of vampires? What the fuck are you?"

I ignored him as I continued to pretend that I'm a vampire mind reader. I shook my head and said, "I can't see his face, Master. He is a vampire with a lot of power but he's not nearly as old as you are. He's not strong as you are either. He wishes that he was though. I can't tell who it is." I stood tall and said, "Maybe you can get him to tell you."

The vampire began to snarl and was doing his darnedest to get out of that chair but he couldn't do it. He'd tipped himself over. "You fucking bitch! You are going to die! I'm going to kill you! I swear that I'm going to kill you! My master is going to come for you! Nothing's going to save you … not even the Northman!"

With my hand still in his, Eric went over to Malcolm and placed his booted foot to the side of the vampire's head. "Who is your master?"

Even though his face was underneath Eric's boot, he tried his best to look at him. "Fuck you, you fucking traitor! She can read our minds and you are with her?! She is an enemy to our kind … our fucking privacy … our very lives are at stake here! And you claim this bitch as your own!?" He spat on Eric's boot … well as much as he could spit on Eric's boot with the boot standing on the side of his face.

Why did he do that, you ask?

Stupidity is my only guess.

Eric looked down at Malcolm. "She hasn't the capabilities to read the mind of the vampire. She provided you the information that we'd obtained from the human that we killed last night and the human from this evening. She also used the deductions that we'd come up with on our own earlier tonight. You, Malcolm, confirmed the truth to their thoughts and our deductions." He pressed his boot harder to the vampire's face.

I could hear the bones cracking. I squeezed my eyes closed as the sound got louder and louder.

"Who is your master?" he asked him once again.

"Fuck you," he said.

I opened my eyes at the wrong time. Malcolm's head was crushed to nothing and pretty soon, the rest of him looked like his head. A bloody mess.

Looking down at what used to be Malcolm, I asked, "So, do we look for the envelope?"

Eric shook his head no. "We leave," he said. "During my search, I couldn't find the envelope. I can only guess that it's been destroyed. There's smoldering paper burning in the kitchen sink. I did find a recording system and dismantled it. I've destroyed whatever recordings they have us but I've taken the few recordings that they had previously. We need to leave before they come. They should be here by the dawn but they won't have time to go through the house. I've called in a clean-up crew to clear the house of our scents."

"What about that?" I said as I pointed at what used to Malcolm.

"He'll be properly disposed of," he promised.

"And Pauline?" I asked.

He looked into my eyes and said, "She will come with us."

"Thank you, Eric," I said.

He nodded at me before scooping Pauline up into his arms and leading me out of the house. He placed her in the back seat of the car before we got in. After cranking the car, he asked, "Are you hungry?"

I realized that I was. I haven't eaten since this morning. I didn't get to eat at Crawdad's and I didn't get to eat at Merlotte's either. Daddy had to get to work and I didn't feel like eating alone. "Sure," I asked. "Can we go to Dairy Queen? I could sure use a Blizzard right about now."

We sped off into the night with a dead girl in the backseat of the car.


	14. Chapter 14

**14**

 **That Same Night**

 **I want to thank each of you for reviewing, reading, making this story a favorite and alerting. Thank you for letting me occupy your time with my stories. I appreciate each of you more than you'll ever realize. As always, I hope that y'all enjoy it and let me know what you think.**

 **The story idea is mine but these wonderful characters belong to Charlaine Harris. I appreciate that she lets us enjoy them as much as we do.**

After leaving Pauline's body in the back of an unattended ambulance that was parked in front of someone's house, Eric took me back to Fangtasia so that we could fill the other vampires in on what we'd discovered and to find out what was on those recordings. Even though the bar had long closed, he told them all to stay put until we got there. I was a bit nervous about meeting the other vampires. So far, Eric and Pam are the only ones that I've met. Oh, and Long Shadow but he's dead now. Even though I've never met the others before tonight, I'm going to be my usually charming and endearing self. There is absolutely no reason for me not to be.

Once we'd all gathered around in Eric's office, I was getting some serious stares from the vampires that surrounded us. My smiles and hellos did nothing to make them feel comfortable around me. I could tell that they were wondering why a human was involved with this very important and impromptu meeting. They were also probably wondering why Eric was holding my hand. They looked uneasy and on edge. They could more than likely tell that Eric and I have no connection. Though I wanted them to be comfortable around me, it wasn't a requirement. To be honest, I really didn't care what they thought or how they felt and obviously, neither did Eric.

When he introduced me to the others, he made the introduction as simple and as painless as possible. He told everyone that I'm his and that's that. Obviously, he wasn't ready to tell everyone in his group what I can do just yet and I don't blame him. He's probably not quite sure of whom he can trust after the issue with that we had with Long Shadow. I figured that after Eric's introduction of me, they'd have tons of questions and would want just as many answers but that didn't happen. They didn't question him. I found that to be a bit odd considering Eric is supposed to be no more than a bar owner. Maybe they didn't question him because of his age and his power but I wasn't sure about that either. I wanted to know what hold Eric has over them but that would just have to wait. I held my tongue and decided to bide my time.

After my quick and painless introduction, everything else was smooth sailing. He told them no more than what they needed to know. He told everyone what Malcolm 'told' us. There was nothing on the tapes other than the debauchery that those two vampires, Malcolm and his friend, whom we've since discovered was called Liam, so easily committed. There was absolutely nothing that we could use to our benefit.

I could see that frustration was clearly on Eric's face. I could also see that he's not used to being kept in the dark about a plan so devious. With him, it's easy to tell that he has to always be in control and for the first time in a long time, he wasn't and he didn't like it. I hated seeing him like that but with what we've learned, he really doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. In this he's powerless.

Once the recordings had been turned off, no one said a word. Pam was as quiet as a church mouse, which I found to be quite odd. Maxwell Lee, he was sitting with his legs crossed and smiling. A vampire called Charles was leaning against the wall and he looked as bored as ever. Heidi and Jonathan looked serious and ready for anything and everything to happen. And me? I was wondering why no one was asking the million-dollar question.

"So, what do we do?" I asked. "How are we going to find out who's trying to take Pam? We can't just sit here and do nothing and wait it out. We're wasting time. We have to do what is necessary so that we can keep her safe."

Every vampire but Eric and Pam stared at me as if I'd lost my mind. They probably wondered why a pet was speaking on something that she should not be privy to.

Pam smirked as she sauntered over to me. With a hand on her hip, she asked, "You want me, don't you? I can see it those pretty, baby blues of yours. You say that you're not interested in me but I can feel it. You want me." She looked at the vampire called Charles and said, "It has to be my personality."

He chuckled as he looked her over. "What personality?"

She glared at him before returning her attention to me. "We can do this, Sookie."

Eric was staring at me and obviously didn't hear any of what Pam said. His mind was going a mile a minute and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what he was thinking.

I didn't want to but I laughed as I rolled my eyes. "Pam," I began. "I don't want you. I am not gay. How many times do I have to tell you this? I am not interested in you sexually and even if I was, what would it matter? Your life is in danger. We don't have time this. We need to get down to business. Someone is after you and we have to find out who it is."

Pam was still smirking.

"And we will," Eric promised. His attention was now focused on Pam. "No one is going to take her. She is going to be safe and well protected at all times. I have called in some favors that are owed to me. We will have some members of the Long Tooth pack watching after you doing the daytime hours. You will have some of our most trusted vampires looking after you at night." He looked at Maxwell as to let him know that he had to floor.

Maxwell Lee agreed. "I will be with you tonight and every night after that, Pam," he assured. "I have already discussed with Eric that I will be moving in with you for a while. I am centuries older than you are. I'm much faster and stronger. Charles, Heidi and Jonathan will be patrolling the grounds. Thalia will be coming into town by the week's end and she will be in control of your nighttime security team. She will be bringing her children with her. They don't know exactly what's going on but they will be made aware as soon as they get here." He placed his hand on hers and said, "You are my friend and I will let nothing happen to you. You have my word. We have all known each other for many, many years and we are loyal to you and Eric. Fear not, old friend. You will be safe."

Pam appreciated the gesture but it was more than apparent that she wasn't about to show it. And instead of showing it, she snorted. "I am more than proficient when it comes to taking care of myself. I don't need a security detail." She snatched her hand from underneath Maxwell's as she glared at Eric. "And I don't need babysitters, Eric. You have taught me well. My home is well protected. I am well armed. I will be safe on my own. I am not some weakling. I am strong."

I watched Eric as he walked from behind his desk and stood before his child. He placed his hands on her shoulders and held her at arm's length. "I'm more than sure that you can take care of yourself. I have complete faith in you but I will not leave you without protection. I have offered to let you stay with me but you have declined. I have offered to stay with you but you won't hear of it. I have given you more leeway than I am comfortable with and as you know, I don't ask much of you but I do ask that you give me this. Just let Maxwell stay with you until we can figure this out. Will you do what I ask of you, Pamela?"

And just like that, her face softened. "I can and I will," she replied.

He placed his hand on her cheek as he kissed her lips lightly and looked into her eyes.

She leaned into his touch and sighed. "You have my word."

I've known them for not even a week and I admire the relationship that they have. It's more than evident that they hold each other in the highest regard. They love each other. He's going to do what he needs to do to keep her safe. And after what Malcolm said to me tonight, Eric needs to do the same thing for me. I know that I'm not Pam but he needs to protect me. I don't have the capabilities of fighting off vampire attacks. I don't have any fancy weapons. And I don't want to be afraid. I don't want to have to worry about some vampire taking a nice, long whiff of me and thinking that it's okay if he or she takes me as their own. I want to be able to come to work and not fear that some vampire king or queen is going to come in here and point me out and say that they want me. And from what I understand from my grandpa, there's nothing that can be done about it if I'm not bonded to Eric. I'll be fair game.

"Sookie," Eric said.

I looked up at him and around the room. I realized that we were alone. I didn't even hear them all leave. "Where is everyone?"

"Gone," he answered.

"Do we have a plan?" I asked.

"It is in motion," he replied. "But don't worry. Everything will be fine."

I did nothing but nod.

He came over and sat next to me on the couch.

"I don't like this, Eric," I said as I looked at him.

He patted my leg and said, "We'll figure this out."

"Not this," I said as I pointed out into the empty office. "This." I pointed from him to me. "I don't like this."

Something came over his eyes. "Are you afraid of what you may become? Are you afraid of what I did tonight … of what I had to do? If you are, I do not like killing. It is something that does not give me pleasure but I cannot change who or what I am. I am a vampire, Sookie. We kill. There are times when we don't have choices in that. Tonight, I had no choice. And do not fear," he said. "You are in no danger of becoming what you fear. You are not like me, Sookie. Your human sensibilities won't allow you to become like me. You have been raised in the human world. Your grandfather has apparently done a very fine job of keeping you grounded. You will be fine."

I thought of what he'd said before answering him. "I'm not afraid of you or what I may become. That's not a fear of mine at all. I wouldn't want you to change who or what you are even if you could. I understand why you do what you do. I actually like who you are … what you are. I like everything about you but for you to say that to me, you don't get it." I stood up from the couch as I turned to face him. "Did you hear any of what Malcolm said to me tonight or were you being willfully deaf? I don't want to be taken, Eric." I pointed at the closed door to his office and said, "I don't want some vampire coming here smelling on me and saying that they want me. I know that you told me that until we bond, you won't hire out my services. That was okay at first but not anymore. It's not sufficient enough for me. What if I'm working in the bar and some random vampire decides to come in and snatch me up because he can't smell you on me … in me?"

Remaining seated on the couch, he said, "That won't happen. I won't let it."

I shook my head as I briefly glanced up at the ceiling. I needed to know what his role is in the vampire world. "What position do you hold in this world? What do you do other than own a bar in Shreveport?" I studied his face as I continued. "There's more to you than just owning this bar. You're more than that. I can't see you just being the owner of this place. I saw it in the eyes of the other vampires. You're more."

He looked at me for a long moment before answering. "I'm the Sheriff of Area Five."

I waited for more.

"That means that I control a certain part of this great state of Louisiana."

"And why?"

"Because I am strong and because of my age," he said.

"And because whomever gave you that position wants to keep an eye on you," I concluded. "Is that it?"

A smug look appeared on his face. "Yes."

"What power does your position give to you? Are you more powerful than a king or a queen?" I knew the answer to my question as I asked it but I needed to hear him say it.

"I am not."

I stepped close to him and in a soft and calm voice, I reminded him of something that grandpa said to me last night. "Your queens and kings have all of the power. What if someone, what if your king or queen sends someone here to go through your files and they find out about me. What I am. Who I am. What I can do. Because they are your king or queen, they have the right to take me. I belong to no one as far they know. I'm just a telepath that works in a vampire bar. If that happens, is there anything that you can do to stop them from taking me? Will I have a choice? Will our contract even stand? If we're not bonded, can you stop them from taking me?"

I knew the answers to my questions without him saying one word.

"You said that you would keep me protected but you're not. You're putting me in danger. Not readily but you are putting me in danger, Eric. I know that you'd never purposely do that but you are."

He stared up at me.

"I have thought about us being bonded since you explained to me what it is and I want it. I don't need to think about it because it is what I want." I took a step closer to him. "I am afraid of being taken and used. I am afraid of what could possibly be done to me to make me submissive to some other vampire. I don't want to be afraid, Eric, and I sure as hell don't want to be submissive. I don't like feeling like this. I don't like it." I stared down at him and said, "You need to decide tonight what you are going to do. Either you're going to have me or you're going to lose me. I'm not waiting past tonight."

He continued to stare up at me. He didn't acknowledge a single word I'd said.

I snatched my purse from the couch and made my way to leave. "Call me when you're ready," I said. "I won't be working for you until then."

Instead of being able to open the door so that I could leave, my back was pressed against it and I was eye level with Eric. I don't know how it happened but my legs were wrapped around his waist and his hands were caressing my face. His kiss was so forceful that I moaned into his mouth. I wanted more but he broke it before I could get what I wanted. He looked into my eyes and said, "Tell me again why you want to do this. I need to hear you say it."

I traced my finger lightly over the scar that I'd noticed earlier tonight as I told him why I wanted to be his … why I want him to be mine. "Because I want more than your protection," I said. "I want to know what you're feeling. I want you to know what I'm feeling. I want you to be a part of me just as much as I want to be a part of you. I know what I'm asking and I'm asking that you bond with me. I'm asking that you let me be a part of you. You said that you wanted me to make sure that this is what I want. I'm telling you now that this is what I want."

His eyes were blazing as he kissed me once more. He began to kiss from mouth to my neck. He licked and sucked. I melted into him. I don't even think that I was me anymore and he hadn't even bitten into me.

"Will it hurt?" I asked as I whispered into his ear.

He shivered as he said, "No. I'll never hurt you."

Still whispering in his ear, I said. "When we do this, there's no going back. I know that you said that to me when I first presented this idea to you but I'm now saying the same thing to you. Once we do this, you're going to be mine."

He pressed me closer to the door. His kisses became primal. His hands were traveling over my body. The feel of his thumb as it brushed across my covered nipple was almost more than I could handle. I would've cried out but his mouth muffled the sounds.

He kissed his way back to my ear and said, "I want to make love to you."

Before I could say no, he caressed my cheek and said, "I want to make love to you but not here. This is not for you. We will share blood tonight but no more than that. Are you fine with that, Sookie?"

"I am," I whispered as I rubbed my cheek against his.

"We will do this together," he said as he looked at me.

"How?"

He brushed his lips against mine. "You will bite into my flesh, my neck, as I bite into yours."

That scared me. I don't have fangs and I definitely didn't want to hurt him. That's the last thing that I wanted to do. I didn't have to tell him what I was feeling.

"You won't hurt me," he promised. "Just bite as hard as you can and feed from me until the wound closes."

I couldn't believe that this was about to happen. My heart was pounding in my chest. My pulse was racing and I had never been hornier in my life. I wanted more than his fangs in me but I didn't want to lose my virginity in a vampire bar.

"You ready?" he asked.

I rapidly nodded.

Once again, we were kissing. Our bodies were grinding against each other. Our hands were caressing and touching. My legs tightened around his waist. He was thrusting against me and I was rubbing myself against him. And then it happened. "Now," he growled in my ear.

It was the most pleasurable experience of my life. I screamed out in ecstasy as my orgasm ravaged me. As his thick, sweet blood flowed over my tongue and down my throat, I rubbed myself harder against him. He helped me along by pressing my body closer to the door. I'd never known such pleasure in my life. My body went limp as he continued to lick at my neck and I rested my head onto his shoulder.

He carried me over to the couch and sat down with me on his lap. He continued to kiss me as he held me. "That was amazing," I said. "Can I tell you something?"

He looked at me and nodded.

Blushing, I said, "I've never had an orgasm with a boy. I know that you're not a boy but that is something that I've never done. I know that it's a stupid thing to say at this particular time but I just wanted to share that with you."

He laughed heartily and loud.

I laughed as I gazed into his eyes. "Can you feel me?"

He closed his eyes and said yes. "I can feel all of you. I can feel your blood flowing through me as if it's a heartbeat. It calms me," he shared.

"I can't feel you," I said. I was suddenly filled with disappointment. "Why can't I feel you?"

"In time," he said as he opened his eyes and looked at me. "You will. This is our first time. During the first blood share, I can feel you. When you need me. When you're afraid. When you're in danger. I can feel you at all times. Even during my daytime rest, I'll be able to feel you. I will be able to feel you at certain distances but to make sure that you are safe at all times, I will have silver weapons sent to your home by tomorrow morning. You will keep them on you at all time."

It wasn't a question so I answered him with a simple yes.

He continued telling me what was going to happen. "Though the ones that employed Malcolm won't be able to find you, I will have guards watching you as well. I was not willfully deaf when Malcolm made his comments about you. His words have preoccupied my every thought since they passed his deceitful mouth."

I nodded as I took in what he said. "Thank you for the weapons and guards, Eric. And know that I don't doubt you. I'll never doubt you." I paused for a brief second before speaking again. "I have another question. What do you mean during the first blood share? Do we have to share blood more than once?"

"We do. Three blood shares are needed in order to complete the bond between a vampire and his human. During the second mutual blood share, you will be able to feel me. You will be able to feel my emotions just as I'm feeling yours right now." He kissed me once more. "When I am distressed, you will know it. When I'm afraid, which never happens, you will know it. You will be able to feel me at long distances. Our relationship will be stronger because of it. It will be one of great admiration and respect."

"It already is," I confirmed. I looked down in between us and said, "The third blood share; that will be permanent, won't it?" I looked up at him and said, "You and I would be bound together forever with the third one."

"Yes."

I wanted to ask him if he's willing to do that but I wasn't too sure if I wanted to hear what he had to say so I nodded and said okay. I removed myself from his lap and began to fix my dress and my hair. He remained seated. I could feel him watching me as his eye followed me around his office. And I knew that he could feel my uncertainty about whether or not he'd want to complete the bond with me.

So, I turned to face him and said, "Thank you for this wonderful evening. I had a great time." I looked at my watch and gasped. It was 4:00 a.m. and I needed to get home. "I'll see you tomorrow night at 6:00."

He frowned as he looked at me. "I can feel you, Sookie."

"I know."

"I don't regret this," he assured me. He decided to share something with me. "Since leaving Malcolm's tonight, I realized that we couldn't wait to bond. I was not going to let you leave you me tonight without beginning the bonding process with you." He pulled me down to meet his lips as he brushed his across mine. "I don't regret this."

My heart lightened a bit but my nerves were still jumbled. "I know," I said. "You wouldn't have done it if you had reservations. I know."

He smiled just a bit. "My lover is telling a fib." He got up from the couch and stood in front of me. "I don't regret this."

I rested my head against his chest as I closed my eyes and sighed. I released all of my anxiety in that one breath. "I know." And this time I believed it as did he. "Okay. One more question?"

He nodded.

I looked at him and asked, "Will you only feed from me when we are forming the blood bond?"

"I will feed from you when you allow me to," he stated. "When you want me to."

My heart was pounding in my chest from the sheer anticipation of him feeding from me again. "And it will make our bond stronger. You'll always feel me regardless of whether or not we complete the bonding process."

"Yes."

"Good," I said as I nodded. "Good." I stood up from his lap and smiled. "I have to go. It's getting late and I'm sure that grandpa is up waiting for me to get home. I'll see you tomorrow night."

He shook his head no. "You will see me as I walk with you to your car. A gentleman never lets a lady walk to her car alone this late at night." He took my hand in his and led the way.


	15. Chapter 15

**15**

 **It's Been a Week**

 **Y'all are the absolute best for sticking around and reading. Thank y'all so much for reading and reviewing. Thank y'all for making this story one of your favorites and alerting. Here is the next chapter and I hope that y'all enjoy it. As always, the characters are not mine. They belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is all me.**

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And it's been a wonderful one. Firstly, Pam is safe. There have been no more people coming into the bar with plans of kidnapping her. She's as right as rain. Well, she could be. She's still a little salty about having Maxwell live with her. The worst part for her is that she has no say in the matter and that angers her something fierce. Pam is determined to get her way. She has tried her best to get him out of her home. The second night of him staying with her, she had the locks changed while we were working. We never would've found out about it if she had signed the check she'd written the locksmith. He showed up at the bar wanting to get paid. She was so mad at him that she was going to glamor the job from his mind but Eric wouldn't let her. Eric made her pay him triple what she owed and she pouted for the rest of the night. That was the last time she tried that. Other than Pam being sneaky, things have been going very well.

Oh, and the blood bond. The blood bond that Eric and I share is amazing. I think that it's the best thing that we could've done. It has nothing to do with the attention that he's lavishing upon me. Though, I have to admit that I absolutely love it. He has been there for me when I haven't needed him. As soon as he rises for the night, he calls me and asks about my day or if I'm well. If I'm feeling happy, the smile on his face is infectious. It's as if he's never felt that emotion. If I'm anxious, he's right there at my side comforting me, making me feel safe. He makes me feel as if I'm the most important person in the world when we're together. Outside of my grandparents, I've never had that. I've never had anyone that has wanted to take care of me. It's getting to the point that I hate leaving Eric when the job is over but that's okay because when I go home, he's still with me. I don't know how it's possible but he's still with me. That's the best part about the bond. He's with me even when we're apart.

I know that he said that I'm not supposed to feel him yet but I do. The first night that we shared blood, I didn't feel him. I couldn't feel him at all but the very next morning, he was _in_ me and around me. I can feel it when he rises for the night. I can feel it when he's angry. I can feel it when he's next to me. I haven't told him yet, though. I don't know how he's going to take it. I'm not afraid of him but I'm afraid of what his reaction will be to know that I can feel him moving through me. Maybe if I was completely human, I wouldn't be able to feel him until the second bonding. I think that it has a lot to do with me being part fae. I want to ask grandpa but I won't do that. I figure that it's something that Eric and I need to talk about with each other.

Oh, and guess what? I haven't witnessed any more deaths. I haven't been involved with any more deaths. And another great part about this week is that I've made a few new friends. The Were guards have been pretty cool with me. They weren't at first. They aren't sure of what I am. I wasn't upset about it. My feelings weren't hurt. I could understand their reasons for being leery of me. They don't know what I am or that I'm part fae. They just know that we are working together to keep Pam safe. That's all that matters in the end. We have a job to do. I think that we've been doing it quite well. From what I can tell, everyone that's working with us is extremely loyal and trustworthy. Thalia and her children are arriving tonight. It'll be too close to dawn for us to meet. I'll meet them later. Anyway, they'll be taking over Pam's security detail as soon as they get here.

Here is my biggest accomplishment so far. I'm moving out of my grandparents' house. I have an apartment of my own. Eric helped me look for one. He's not crazy about the one that I've chosen. He wanted me to get this great big apartment with way too much space. I didn't need or want that. I wanted something simple. So, that's what we found and it's all mine. I have my own kitchen and living room. I have my very own bathroom. I have a huge bedroom with a walk-in closet. A walk-in closet! Never in a million years did I think that I'd ever have a walk-in closet. The best part, the absolute best part, is that I can get up in the middle of the night and make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without hearing my grandparents having sex! I can walk around my apartment nekkid … not naked but nekkid if I want to. I can be butt nekkid and no one will see me!

Today is the day. It's moving day and I'm more than excited. I'm able to move out so soon because of my first paycheck. Eric said that since it's the end of the month, he wanted to clear out his payroll but there was more to it. I have never seen a paycheck with my name on with so many numbers attached to it. I never would've believed in a million years that I'd be making enough money to be completely self-sufficient. I also didn't expect my first check so soon. "I haven't been working for a full week, Eric," I said. I had to catch my breath as I glanced down at it. "I don't think that …"

"You've more than earned it," he assured me. "Take it. And besides," he said with a shrug. "You need your own place. I can't make love to you in the home of your grandparents. You said that."

I blushed as I smiled at him. "You are ridiculous, Eric Northman."

Just as he laughed, his phone began to ring. "No," he assured me. "Just horny. Now go and meet with Pam. There are real estate books in her office. Find some that you like and I'll set appointments for us to go to."

That's what we did. That one paycheck has worked wonders for me. It was more than enough to pay the deposit, the first and last month's rent. I was even able to furnish each room. Now, Pam was a helping hand but she had to be reined in a few times. She was spending more money than I was comfortable with spending. Though she said that Eric would allow her to write the furniture off as an expense, I wouldn't allow it. I wanted to do this. It had nothing to do with being prideful. It had everything to do with me being able to do it for myself. And tonight, I wanted to be able to sleep in the new bed that I'd purchased. I wanted to wrap myself up in the sheets and comforter that I'd bought with my money. There's nothing more liberating than being able to take care of yourself and I feel liberated. And so proud. So were my grandparents.

Gran wanted to throw me a housewarming party but I wouldn't let her do it. For now, I don't think that it'll be too safe with all that's going on with Pam. Eric said that I needed to be careful of who I bring to my home.

"Even your most trusted can betray you," he warned me. "Be careful."

And I've taken his words to heart. My grandparents and my dad know where I live. I don't feel comfortable enough to tell my mom or Jason just yet. They haven't reached out to me since I moved in with Gran and grandpa. It stands to reason that they wouldn't be too interested in me now that I have my own place. My mom and my brother. Go figure, huh?

"You ready?" grandpa asked as he came into the house.

With my last carryall bag on my shoulder, I nodded my head. "I am." I looked behind him and didn't see Gran. "Where's Gran?"

He glanced over his shoulder for a brief moment. "You know how your old gran is. She's not ready for this. She's probably upstairs waiting it out. She doesn't want to see you leave." He chuckled. "She cried half of the night. You'd think that you've lived here all of your life instead of a month." He was trying to be lighthearted but I could hear that he felt the same way that my old gran does.

I hugged him for a brief moment before speaking. "Thank you for letting me stay here. Thank you for helping me and believing in me. Will you tell Gran? Will you let her know that I appreciate all that she's done for me?"

"Anything for you, Sookie," he said as he nodded.

I swallowed back my tears. "I'm going to miss you."

He patted my arm. "I'm going to miss you too. Now, you get on out of here. I've put your weapons in the passenger seat of your car … silver and iron. They're in a special case that only you can open. Keep them close. Call me if you need me." He began to shake his head no. "If Eric hadn't put those Weres on you, I would be afraid of letting you go out on your own."

"I know."

"I just want to keep you safe."

"I know."

"I just love you so much."

"I know."

"You'll call me if you need me?"

"I will," I answered. "I promise."

"And you'll stay safe."

"I will," I whispered. I stared at him as tears rolled over my cheeks.

He kissed my cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too." I looked up the stairs towards their bedroom; hoping that Gran would come downstairs. She didn't. She came out of the kitchen carrying a casserole dish. And she wasn't sad. She was smiling. She almost looked as if she was happy that I am finally leaving her house. If I didn't know any better, I'd be offended. None of that mattered right now. What I needed was an explanation from my grandpa. "Grandpa?" I said.

He wouldn't even look at me.

Gran was shaking her head at me as she walked into the living room. "You and Fintan are acting like you are never coming back home," she said. "Stop being ridiculous … the both of you. You'll come back around just as you always do and just as always, we'll be here." She looked at grandpa and said, "She's not going to boot camp. She's just a few miles down the road."

I took the casserole dish from Gran and placed it on the cocktail table and hugged her. I kissed her cheek and said, "Grandpa said that you were upset about me leaving today. I thought that you didn't want to see me off. I thought that …"

She fanned her hand at me as she shook her head. "Fintan is a handful, Sookie," she said as she cut me off. "I know that I was apprehensive and had reservations about all of this but I see how happy you are and I want you happy. I'm fine with you moving out on your own. You've got that nice Mr. Northman looking out for you. He's got the bodyguards for you. No, sweetie. I'm not worried at all. Fintan's the one that's suffering from separation anxiety. I wanted to give him a few minutes alone with you because he's going to take it a lot harder than I will. Your old gran is going to be just fine. She has a phone that she knows how to use and she has a car that she's still able to drive."

"Adele," my grandpa started. "Don't you stand there and act like you aren't upset about her leaving. You cried yourself to sleep last night." I could swear he winked at her.

Gran's mouth was as wide as I'd ever seen it. "Fintan, now you take that back. I had to brew you some of that Earl Grey tea last night to calm you down. You're not going to put your cry babying ways on me. I had to practically rock you to sleep."

Grandpa looked at me from the corner of his eyes. He was clearly embarrassed and I didn't want to make it worse for him. "Now, Adele," he said.

"Fintan," she warned. She pointed her finger at him. "You cried for over an hour last night and you know it."

I could have stood there and listened to them argue all day but I needed to get to Shreveport before the furniture was delivered. "Well," I said. "Thanks for all that you've done for me, Gran. And I really want to thank you for this casserole. I won't have to cook tonight."

I didn't think that they heard me.

"I guess I'll be going," I announced a little bit louder.

Grandpa decided that he needed to get his two cents worth in instead of listening to what I had to say. "Adele, don't say such things like that in front of Sookie. She knows that I don't have cry babying ways and I didn't cry for over an hour. I would say no more than ten minutes. I may have been a little upset about her leaving but I have never been a cry baby." Grandpa looked insulted. "I just love my family."

"I'm going to go ahead and take this casserole with me," I announced as I picked it up from the table.

Pointing at me, Gran said, "She knows how sensitive you are when it comes to her and her daddy. She knows how you can get all emotional at times. We all know this, Fintan. You should just be honest with what happened last night and this morning. You are the one that was going to shut yourself up in the room. I had to make you come down here this morning. You should just admit …"

I eased my way across the living room and out of the door with my casserole in tow. I cried as I walked to my car. I was going to miss moments like those. I was going to miss them but it was time for me to go and boy, was I ready.

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I stood back and admired the look of my new apartment. As I said before, it's not very much but it's mine. "You've done a damned good job, Sookie Stackhouse," I said as I gave myself a pat on the back.

Don't get me wrong, I still have some unpacking to do but it's mostly clothes. I figured that I could unpack those things later. Pam had the gall to tell me that if she has anything to do with it, she's going to throw most of my things away. "If you are going to be keeping company with me, you need to dress the part," she said. "I can't have you looking like Sally Sue from Mayberry standing at my side. You'll bring down my stock."

I didn't agree with her. I love my clothes. They're comfortable and affordable. I don't have to …

My cell phone interrupted my thoughts. "Hello, Alcide."

"Hey, Sookie," he said. "I know that we're not supposed to make ourselves known but there's this guy down here. He was looking through your car. He was going through your dash and tried getting into the trunk. Don't worry. He didn't get to take anything. I punched him a few times."

I could hear the muffled sounds of Alcide's new prisoner. "I really appreciate that, Alcide. Who is it?"

"Be still, will ya?" Alcide yelled at the guy before answering me. "He says that he's your brother. I told him that you don't have a brother. Do you have a brother?"

Sighing, I said, "I do."

"Oh," Alcide replied. "So, do I let him come up or no? I don't think that you should. I don't get a vibe on this guy but it's your choice. He is your brother."

"He can come up."

"Okay," Alcide answered. "I'll send Jake up with him. He'll keep an eye out for you. Oh, yeah. His lips a little busted up but he earned it."

"Thanks, Alcide," I said.

And couple of minutes later, there was a knock at my door.

I wanted to be upset but I have to admit that I was a bit giddy. Even though it's the brother who thinks that I'm a blemish on the Stackhouse name, he's still my first guest. I'd rather it be someone else but I guess I'll have to make do with what I have.

I frowned as I looked out of the peephole. I stepped back away from the door and stared at it for a minute before I'd made up my mind to open it. I couldn't help but wonder why he was here. Jason said that he was done with me because of the life that I've chosen to live and now he's here. I was thinking about turning him away but I couldn't do that. He is my brother. So, I reluctantly opened the door. "Hey, Jason," I said. I looked at Jake and waved. "Hey, Jake."

He looked concerned. He had a firm grip on the collar of Jason's shirt. "You want me to stay in here with you? I agree with Alcide. I don't trust this douche bag."

"Asshole," Jason mumbled.

I patted Jake on his arm. "I'll be okay but you can stand outside the door if that's okay."

Jake smiled at me. "That's okay."

"Do you want a drink?"

He shook his head no. "I'm good." He then looked at Jason. He was no longer my friendly bodyguard. "I'll be right outside this door, douche bag. Don't mess up cause if you do, you'll have more than a busted lip." He poked Jason in the chest before closing the door behind him.

Jason rubbed his hand over the sore spot and frowned at the door. "Asshole," he whispered again. When he turned to look at me, he was all smiles. "How's it going, Sookie. Why haven't you called me? You didn't even tell me that you'd moved."

Frowning, I asked, "Why should I? You said that you didn't want to have anything else to do with me. You and mom said that. Since I haven't heard from either of you, I thought that you meant it."

He fanned off the statement as if it was nothing when it was everything. "I was just mad. You know how I get when I'm upset. I didn't mean it. I was just being a jerk. I didn't mean no harm."

I began to scan his mind for any signs of deception but found none. It was empty as ever. I finally stepped to the side and let him in. "Come on in the living room," I said.

I watched him as he looked around and nodded his silent approval. He stroked the back of the couch. He walked to the other side of the room and fingered the base of the flat screen TV. He fiddled with the lamps and smiled at the recliner. I wished that he would quit fondling my furniture and get down the reason for his visit. "Have a seat Jason and tell me why you're here."

When he sat down on the couch, he bounced a little. "This a nice place that you have here. Nice furniture. I'll bet that the Super Bowl will look good on that TV right there." He looked around the room again. "I could have my Super Bowl parties here. There is more than enough room for all of my friends to come by."

Was he serious? It didn't take me too long to figure out that he was.

He was about to prop his feet up on my new table but I nipped that in the bud as quick as possible. "You will not put her feet on my table and you will not have a party in my home. I will not allow that." I sat in the chair across from him. I didn't want to be but I was suspicious of his reasons for coming here. I needed to know why he was here. "I didn't give you my new address. How did you find me?"

"Dad's planner," he said. "I'd gotten a new cell phone and needed a phone number and found this address. He'd written 'Sunshine' beside it. I knew that it was yours." He pointed at me before speaking. "This is a sweet ass place you got here. How much is that vampire paying you to do what you do?"

That made me so mad. "His name is not that vampire. His name is Eric. Eric Northman and what he pays me is not up for discussion."

He raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, calm down, Sis. I was just making conversation."

I dipped into his head once more and there it was. The reason for his visit. "You need money."

He leaned forward as he rested his elbows on his knees. "Just a bit," he said. "I want to get my own place too and I figured that if you can get you an apartment working just a few hours a night, you wouldn't mind loaning your big brother a little bit. I think that it's time that I get out of mom and dad's house."

I leaned back in my chair and stared at him. I couldn't believe his nerve. "You put me down and called me a disgrace to the Stackhouse name because I've decided to make a living using my gift and now you come here and ask me for money. I thought that you were ashamed of me and what I'm doing."

"I was but not anymore," he said. "I been doing a lot of figuring and I figure that since you're making a killing by working for the vampires, you made the right choice. I also figure that you can help me get a job with some vampires but make me a loan in the meantime. Until I get my foot in the door of the vampire world. Maybe I can chauffer them around and stuff. You know any good looking women vampires?"

"No," I said.

Suddenly, I felt something go through me. Uneasiness. Anger. Frustration. And dread. Especially dread. I looked at the clock and it was 1:30. It was too soon for Eric to be awake. It could be a bad dream. Maybe Eric's having a bad dream. I shrugged off those feelings as I stared at my brother. Hoping that he would soon leave.

He flopped back on the couch. "You don't know any good looking women vampires at all?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Shit. There are some good looking ones that be on TV."

I can't believe that we come from the same bloodline.

"I mean no I'm not getting you a job with a vampire and no I'm not loaning you any money," I clarified. "I won't let you use them as you're trying to use me. Is that why you came by here? To see what I could do for you?"

He had that dumb, blank Jason look on his face.

I stared at him in utter disbelief. "I haven't heard from you in over a month and when you finally come to see me, you want money and to use my friends for their money. You have a new cell phone number, which you didn't tell me what it is by the way … not that I want it. You _are_ a douche bag and I'm glad that Alcide busted your lip. You deserved it." His nerve was completely astonishing. "I can't help you, Jason. I won't help you."

He scooted to the edge of his seat. "Come on, Sook. I'd do it for you."

Surprised laughter escaped me. "You would not. Everything that you've ever done for me, Jason, has cost me something. I'm not going to help you anymore." I shook my head in utter disbelief. "I can't believe you. You insult me and put me down because I'm different. You've never been overly kind to me. You have never made me feel like a sister and you always want something from me. Why couldn't you have just come by to visit me? We could've had dinner and talked about anything but that's not what you do. You decide to come to my home in the hopes that I can do something for you … something that's' going to benefit you." With my voice firmer, I repeated, "No. I will not help you."

He then stood up and said, "I'm your brother!"

I mimicked his movements and said, "And I'm your sister!"

Pretty soon, the usual disgust that he displayed whenever he looked at me was on his face. The insults that he was about hurl my way were hitting me hard and strong. Bitch. Freak. Useless. Disgrace. Embarrassment. Any derogatory name that he could think of, he was going to say to me … or so he thought.

I marched over to the front door and held it open.

Jake was soon on alert. He saw my face and instantly grabbed Jason by the collar of his shirt and pulled him out into the hallway. "What did you do, douche bag?"

I wanted to laugh but I was too mad. "You are not welcome here, Jason Stackhouse. If I am such a bitch of an embarrassment, don't come back around me. If I'm so useless, don't come around here asking me for money. Since I make my money from being a freak, I would think that you wouldn't want it. It would be a disgrace for you to even consider asking anything of me. Now, until you decide that I am worthy of your love and respect, you are no longer allowed to come here. My home is off limits to you. I am through with you, Jason. I don't need your hurtful words or thoughts in my life. I don't want them."

I did my best not to cry but tears rolled over my cheeks and for the first time in ever, I saw a hint of regret in my brother's eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but I stopped him. "Go," I said.

Jake didn't give Jason a chance to speak. He pulled him down the hall by the collar of his shirt. "You are the fucking douchiest douche bag I've ever met!" He dragged Jason around the corner as he continued to insult him.

And normally, I would've felt guilty about doing something like that. I would've felt bad about seeing Jake drag Jason down the hall as he was but this time, I didn't care. The old Sookie would have given Jason the money and I would have helped him get a job in the vampire world. But not this time. I made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my apartment. And it was delicious. After that, I took a nap in my brand new bed before work. I'd planned on sleeping at least until four but that wasn't in the cards.

There was another knock at my door.


	16. Chapter 16

**16**

 **While I was Sleeping**

 **Here is chapter 16 but I have sort of a dilemma. I don't know how to proceed with the next chapter. I wanted the next chapter to give an idea of what happened at Pam's house the night of the massacre. It wouldn't be too long but just enough to give an idea of what happened. Is that something that y'all would be interested in reading? Let me know what y'all think and it is done.**

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Jake drove me to Pam's house and I think that we were going at about ninety miles per hour all the way there. I can't remember him stopping at a single streetlight. And to be honest, I'm glad that he didn't stop. I needed to know what was going on and what happened. I needed to make sure that my friend was still alive. "Tell me," I ordered Jake as we pulled into Pam's driveway.

"When the next shift of Weres were coming for the night," Jake explained as he turned off the car. "Tray Dawson called to let me know that something was wrong. He could smell blood as soon as he pulled in the driveway. None of the Weres were outside as they should have been. They were nowhere to be found. The humans; the human servants and the guards, they weren't answering their phones."

I got out of the car and stared up at the house. "Has anyone been inside?"

Jake followed suit as he shook his head no. "I told them that no one can go inside. Eric wouldn't want that."

It then dawned on me that whatever happened was what I was feeling from Eric earlier this evening. Those were his feelings of uneasiness, anger, frustration and dread. He knew that something happened. He knew and there was absolutely nothing that he could do about it. That pained me to my heart to think that he could be blaming himself for what may have happened to Pam.

I agreed. "Yeah. You're right. We can't have our scents mingled in with the ones that have done this," I said. "Pam," I whispered. "Does anyone know if she's okay?"

He looked at me from the corner of his eye and shook his head no. I could hear in his mind that he felt sorry for me because they all seem to know that they, the vampires and the Weres, are my only real friends. They know that I have associates in Bon Temps but no real friends. They know that even though I've only known her for a week, Pam is the best friend that I've ever had. "She's going to be fine," he assured me. "Don't worry about her. Pam is a fighter. She is strong and she is determined. If she's gone," he said. "We'll get her back. I promise."

I dropped my head and looked down at the ground.

"Hey," he said as he placed his hand on my shoulder. "She's okay."

I straightened my back as I looked up at him. With a smile plastered on my face, I said, "I know. It's Pam. She's still in her bed and having sweet dreams. She's probably smiling as she sleeps the day away."

Jake chuckled. "I doubt that she's having sweet dreams and I'm damn near positive that she isn't smiling. She's probably dreaming about draining some fangbanger or kicking Maxwell's ass but there are a couple of things that I know for sure. I can damn well guarantee that they're not sweet and she's not smiling."

I know that he was trying to make me feel better but it wasn't working. I wanted to go inside to see what I could find. To see if there was anything that I could see or hear. What if someone was still alive and had a flicker of their memories left? I could be reading them. I could at least get a jump on what's going on. I was about to tell Jake my thoughts but he stopped me. From the look in his eyes, he knew very well what I was thinking.

"We can't, Sookie," he said. "We can't let our scents get in the way of what's going on." He looked at his watch. "Eric will be here in less than an hour. Don't worry. It's going to be fine."

"Okay."

"Come on," he said. "Let's get in the car and wait for him to get here."

I did as I was told and we waited. I couldn't stop thinking about what could possibly be waiting for us in Pam's home. I know that more than likely all of the humans are dead. I began to hope that at least the vampires were able to fight off their attackers but that didn't seem to be too likely. They were probably dead as soon as they were ambushed. I did find it a bit odd that the Weres weren't outside because that's where they were supposed to be. They were supposed to be patrolling the grounds. None of them were to be in the house. It was the one rule that Pam put into place. They could guard her as long as they stayed outside. She didn't want her house smelling like dog when she woke up. Plus, she was allergic. Don't ask me how a vampire has allergies because I don't know. Those were her exact words. And now, as I look around the front of her home, I don't see a single Were body anywhere. Not one.

"Why?" I whispered.

"Why what?" Jake asked as he looked at me.

"Why aren't there any dead Weres outside?" A puzzled look was on my face as I stared at Pam's house. "Where are they? Pam didn't want them in her house because of her non-existent allergy to dogs, so where are they? Did Tray take them with him? Did he even see them when he got here?"

Jake stared straight ahead.

"Were they in on the kidnapping?" I asked. "Did they fool us into believing that they were with us when they were against us?" I turned to face Jake head on. "I don't want to think the worse of your pack members … your friends but tell me that I'm wrong. Tell me that they are somewhere close by. They are hurt and can't get to us. Tell me that they wouldn't do this."

"They wouldn't do this."

I placed my hand on his arm and asked again. "Then where are they?"

Jake opened his mouth to speak on it but nothing came out. He looked out into the yard and back at me. "It won't hurt anything if we just look around outside."

I agreed. "I think that would be fine. You know," I began. "If you'd shift, we'd probably have a better chance of sniffing out who was here. We could probably even find out if they even left or if they are still hanging around here somewhere. Not that I'm telling you what to do." I shrugged my shoulders as I said, "It's all your decision, you know. I was just theorizing … making a suggestion. This entire idea was yours. I'm just here."

Jake laughed at me as he got out of the car. He began to take off his clothes. With his back to me, he said, "Yeah, right, Sookie. Whatever you say."

I giggled and clapped as I got out of the car. I went to the driver's side and took Jake's clothes from the hood. I folded them up and placed them neatly on the driver's seat. When I looked back at Jake, he was nuzzling my hand and he was the most beautiful gray wolf I'd ever seen. I stroked his head and said, "Let's go."

Jake and I looked around the front of Pam's house. He sniffed the ground as I checked the shrubbery that surrounded her home. I was crawling around on my hands and knees as I looked for whatever clues I could find. I found nothing. No Were bodies. No bloody blades of grass. No clothes. No shoes. No nothing. I found nothing. But Jake did.

While I was crawling around on the ground, I heard Jake howling. I ran to where he was and pointless to say, he'd found the bodies of the five members of the Long Tooth Pack. They were in Pam's shed and it looked as if they'd been torn apart. I'd never seen so much blood in all of my life. There were arms and legs that were no longer attached to bodies. There were heads that had been placed neatly on the shelves of the shed. My hand instantly went to my heart as I stared at the Weres that I'd only known for a couple of days. My heart bled for their families and their pack members.

"Sookie." Jake had shifted back into human form. He was angry and he didn't try to hide it. A ferocious growl was building up in his chest.

I looked at the dead bodies of his friends as I spoke to him. "I'm sorry that this happened to them."

He growled before speaking. "There's no need to be sorry. They weren't. They were my friends," he said. "If I knew them at all, I know that they fought until the bloody end." I could feel him looking at me. "Are you going to be alright?" There was a hint of uneasiness in his voice.

I looked up at him and nodded my head. "I'm going to be fine. I don't have time to cry right now. We have to figure out what happened here … _who_ happened here." I stepped closer to the shed and stared at the bodies. "At least we know one thing."

"What's that?" he asked.

"Vampires didn't do this," I answered.

"As far as we know," Jake added.

"Yeah," I said as I looked at him. "As far as we know. Did you get a whiff of anything?"

"Humans," he said as he looked down at me. "I smelled only human flesh."

It made perfect sense. The vampire that wants Pam could have hired some thugs to come in and do this. He or she could have hired some unknown humans to kill the Weres and take Pam. But as I think about it, it doesn't make sense. How could the humans have ripped those Weres apart like that? Were they doped up? What types of weapons did they have? Were they really humans? They could have been out of state humans. Humans that we don't know. Humans that would hard for us to track. I was about to say something to Jake but I lost my train of thought. I looked a little further down than I'd intended. "Come on, Jake. We need to get you back to the car but first, you need to put some clothes on."

Once Jake was dressed, we got back in the car and waited for Eric to rise for the night. My mind was going a mile a minute. My thoughts were about Pam and if she's safe. I hoped that she wasn't in the same condition as the Weres that we found in the shed. I hoped that she was alive and not because she is my friend but because her death would devastate Eric. I notice how he touches her and stares at her. I notice that she feels the same about him. I'd hate to think that he would have to go through his life … well his death … his life? … without her. They need each other. More than anything I want her to be alive for him.

I sighed as I looked out into the night. "He should've been here by now," I said. "Where is he?"

That's when the passenger side door to the car came open. There he was. Looking regal and powerful. I shivered as I stared up at him. A small smile played across his lips. "I am here, lover." He helped me from the car and pulled me behind him as we walked to Pam's front door.

Jake got out of the car and followed us. "Allen, Grayson, Daniel, Landon, and Chase are in the shed. They are dead. They were torn completely apart."

Without missing a step, Eric stepped onto Pam's porch. "Did you catch any scents?"

"Yeah," Jake said.

Eric didn't like the sound of that yeah so he turned around and looked at the Were.

"The scent belonged to humans," Jake said as he ran his hands through his hair. "How could humans tear five adult male Weres to shreds, Eric?"

I stared up at Eric as I waited for his answer. I wanted to know too. I wanted to know how humans could do something like that. He thought and thought about what Jake asked him but he didn't answer the question. "What about inside the house?"

"We didn't go inside," Jake said. "We didn't want to taint the crime scene."

Eric nodded. He pulled his keys from his pocket and opened the door.

And once we were inside, we just stood there … me, Eric and Jake. We just stood there. There was nowhere to walk really. Blood and bodies covered the room. The formerly white walls of Pam's exquisite living room were now a deep, bloody burgundy. Her white carpet was covered in blood stains and bodies. Pam's couch was no longer a couch. It was broken in half and bloody. There were lumps on the floor that had clothes on top of them and in them. They had to have been the bodies of Eric's vampires. I looked around the room and there were bodies of the humans scattered throughout the room. The humans that were loyal to Pam had been murdered ... three of them. The idea that they couldn't defend themselves broke my heart. For them to know that death was inevitable, was devastating.

"Eric," I whispered.

He continued to hold my hand as he stared at the carnage that was before us.

Before I knew what was happening, Jake had stripped down to nothing and had shifted once again. He was sniffing each body and pile of clothes as he went around the room. He whined a couple of times when he'd reach a familiar lump. He pushed the pile of clothes as he sniffed deeper into the pile.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I don't know," Eric said. He said nothing else as he pulled me down the hall.

We stopped in front of a wall and just stood there. We were looking at a picture of Pam and she was holding a glass of blood. She was dressed as if she was going to the Ball of the Century. She looked beautiful in her Victorian era gown and perfectly coifed hairdo. She almost looked happy. I was going to give Eric some words of encouragement but I didn't get a chance to. He touched the top of the frame and the wall came open. We looked out into a dark space. Eric clapped his hands and a light came on. He was holding my hand once again as we stared down at the empty bed. There was no blood. There was no pile of bloody clothes. Pam was still alive.

I looked up at Eric and his face showed nothing but I could feel his pain and his sorrow. I could feel it as he blamed himself for what happened to Pam. "I could feel you as you slept during the day."

He looked at me but said nothing.

"You knew that she was gone, didn't you? Is that what I felt from you this evening? Did you know?"

He turned away from me and looked at her bed.

"This isn't your fault."

He did a very human thing and sighed.

"We'll find her."

He acknowledged my words with a nod.

"Eric," Jake said from the doorway.

"Yes," he said.

"None of your vampires made it," he said. "Maxwell, Charles, and Heidi are gone. Indira and Clancy have met the true death as well. Pam's servants, the humans, they are gone."

I released Eric's hand as I walked towards Jake. "Are you sure?" I tried to keep the tremble out of my voice but I failed. "Are you absolutely sure? Maxwell and Heidi are very strong fighters. I've seen them." I swallowed down the lump in my throat. "Clancy is very good with that machete. Are you sure?"

"I am," he promised. "There scents are unmistakable."

"What else do you know?" Eric asked as he continued to look at Pam's bed.

"The human body guards that the vampire agency sent over," Jake began. "They're all gone. Not a one of them in sight. Not one body. Not one trace of their blood. Nothing. Tray has gone to get Alcide and Bassir. Colonel Flood is on his way over to collect the remains of our men. They should be here within the hour."

Eric finally turned around to look at Jake and the look on his face was terrifying yet soothing … to me. I knew at that very moment that we were going to win. Regardless of what we've lost, this was far from over. We were going to find her and bring her home.

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After I'd gone back to my apartment to change into my work clothes, I met Eric at the bar. I'd been given my orders for the night. While he was meeting with Colonel Flood, Alcide, Tray, Bassir, and Jake in his office, I sat out in the bar to keep an eye on things. The humans were having a great time. The vampires that owed Eric fealty were doing the jobs that his regular vampires would have been doing. A few of them asked Eric where Pam and Maxwell were. He ignored them. They knew that something was wrong but not quite sure what it was.

"Hey, Sookie," Palomino said. She had a drink in her hand. "I brought you a drink over."

I smiled up at her. "Thanks." I took it from her and slid it over to the side. I wasn't really all that thirsty.

She looked as if there was something that she wanted to say but she wasn't sure if she should say it. I decided to help her out. "You'll have to ask Eric."

A bloody tear fell from her eye. "You don't have to tell me anything. I know that something is wrong. I could feel my maker die this morning. Heidi was always so good to me." She folded her arms in front of her as she stared at me. "Whatever the master needs of me, I will do it. I am with him." She walked back to the bar without another word.

After my little conversation with Palomino, everything was rather quiet. There were no issues with the fangbangers. The vampires did as they were told. There was no fighting. No arguing. Everything was smooth sailing. That is until these vampires dressed in black uniforms marched into the bar. They had weapons in their hands and they stared straight ahead. They were the deadliest looking vampires I'd ever seen.

"Everyone out," the first vampire soldier said.

The fangbangers didn't know what to do. They remained glued to their chairs. I think that it was because of fear that they didn't leave as ordered. At least not at first.

"Now!"

And just like that, the fear made them leave without saying a word.

The vampires that owe Eric fealty, they lined up in front of the vampire soldiers with arms crossed behind their backs and their head held high. They looked as if they've had to go through this in past. It was nothing new to them. The marched out of the bar in a single file line and didn't look back. I wondered what Eric was going to think about that.

What did I do?

I stayed seated in Eric's booth. I wasn't going to leave. And no one was going to make me.

The first vampire soldier, the one that made everyone else leave, walked over to where I was and just stood there.

"Hi," I said as I stood up from my seat. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

"You need to leave," he ordered.

I shook my head no. "I can't leave."

He stepped in closer to me. "You can and you will by the order of the king of Louisiana."

Again, I shook my head no. "I can't leave."

The vampire soldier dropped fang on me.

"Leave the girl alone," a vampire said from behind him. The vampire that emerged from behind the soldier didn't look like a king … not a first. He looked kind of plain at first glance but as I studied him more, I could see his status. He was short with dark brown hair. He was handsome but he wasn't Eric Northman handsome. He had dark brown eyes and he had the chiseled features of the Romans from so long ago. His black suit fit him perfectly and it looked quite nice on him. He looked very becoming. Muscular and powerful. He was soon standing in front of me and staring. Not saying anything but just staring. It appeared that he was now studying me.

"Hi," I said. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "You smell of the Northman," he said as he opened his eyes.

"I do."

"You've had his blood yet he hasn't taken your virginity," he proclaimed.

Why did he say that? Every vampire that was in the room began to inhale. I could hear their fangs snap into place as they made an appearance. I can only guess that they haven't met very many virgins that have had vampire blood in this day and age. Remaining respectful and calm, I said, "That is none of your business." I was still smiling.

The vampire king smiled just a bit. "Are you happy with the Northman?"

"I am," I answered. "I am his."

The king slid into the booth that belongs to Eric. He pointed to the seat across from him. "Sit with me, Sookie Stackhouse."

"No, thank you," I said. "I will go …"

"I insist," he whispered.

I did as he ordered … still smiling no less. "Okay."

He rested his arms on the table as he stared at me. "You're quite beautiful, Sookie Stackhouse."

"Thank you," I answered. "I get it from my mama."

A chuckle escaped him as he snapped his fingers. One of the vampire soldiers then handed him a bottle of blood. Once it was opened and handed to him, he took a long sip of it as he stared at me. "I am William Compton. I am the king of Louisiana."

"Very nice to meet you." I gave him a slight nod of my head to acknowledge his status.

"I am a king," he said.

"I heard you the first time," I said.

"Eric is a sheriff," he said. "He is my underling."

I didn't know what to say so I said nothing.

"I want to make you mine," he said.

I rested my hands on the table as I smiled at the king. "I appreciate the offer but I not up for grabs. I belong to Eric. As I said previously, I am his."

William laughed. I didn't realize that I'd told a joke so I just sat there and stared at him. "You haven't let him make love to you. Has he not earned that pleasure? Is he not worthy of taking your virginity?" He closed his eyes and inhaled once again. "Your pussy smells so sweet. Almost as sweet as your blood."

I stood up from the seat and stared down at the king as I smoothed down the back of my dress. "I don't care who you are. You will not speak to me like that. I am a lady and I will be treated like a lady. I don't take to kindly to that kind of talk, sir. You may talk to the fangbangers in such a way but you will not disrespect me. My parents have raised me to be respectful and respect _ed_. I mean no harm with my words but you, sir, will not say such things to me again."

The vampire soldier walked towards me but stopped when the king raised his hand. "Stay where you are," he ordered the soldier. Looking at me, he said, "Forgive me for being vulgar, Ms. Stackhouse. I didn't realize that you are a true southern belle."

Still standing, I said, "I am."

"Sit down," William ordered.

"I'd rather stand," I said.

He banged his fist on the table. "Sit down," he ordered.

I didn't hide my fear of the king. I let it fill the bond. I'm so glad that I did.

"Sookie, come to me."

I turned to see Eric coming down the hallway from his office. I did as he ordered and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Bite me," I whispered in his ear.

He pressed my body against the wall. He bit into me and though I didn't want it to be, it was the second most sensuous thing I've ever felt in my life. The first time was the most sensuous thing I'd ever felt in my life. He licked the wounds closed before kissing me. As the kiss ended, he led me back into the bar and to his booth. He bowed to the king as he let me take my seat. He was soon sitting next to me. "It's always a pleasure to see you, Your Majesty. To what do I owe this impromptu visit?"

The king looked angry as he stared at us. "She is yours."

"She is," Eric replied.

He looked at me and said, "I thought that you were a lady, Ms. Stackhouse. You let a vampire feed on you in front of others." He shook his head in disappointment. "I don't find that to be too lady like."

"Because we were in a darkened hallway," I said. "I felt that it was fine. There were no prying eyes … or so I believed. When my master calls me to him, I do as he asks of me. He wanted to taste me so I let him taste me."

Eric growled as he looked at me.

I smiled as I looked up at him. "I am his," I repeated.

Eric placed his hand on my thigh as he returned his attention to the king.

"She is yours but I find it troubling that you haven't fucked her. Why is that?" the king asked. He glanced at me; expecting me to react to him as I did when Eric wasn't with us. I wanted to sock him in the nose but I didn't do that. I didn't say a word.

I expected Eric to answer him but he didn't. "Why are you here, Your Majesty?"

William smirked as he pulled at his suit jacket. "I heard of what happened this afternoon. I am here to offer you the services of my kingdom. I know how much Pam means to you. You two were lovers for many, many years. It has to be devastating for you to have lost her. It is well known in our world what she means to you. It pains me to know that you have lost the one that you love and hold so dear." He eyed me when he said that.

Eric continued to caress my thigh. "She is no longer my lover but she will always be my child. The fact that my child is gone is what devastates me. And I appreciate the help that you have offered me. I appreciate whatever support that you can give."

The king was still staring at me. I could feel pressure behind my eyes and so I dropped my head. I squeezed Eric's hand to let him know. "Master," I said.

"Yes, Sookie," he said to me.

"I have a headache."

He looked at the king and his soldiers. I could feel the anger as it thundered through the bond. "Which one of you is trying to glamor my human?"

William sat back in his seat and stared at me. "What do you mean, Eric?"

"Whenever anyone tries to glamor her, it causes her to have a headache," he shared. "I decided to add a little extra insurance to Sookie when I made her mine. I want to be sure to keep her so whenever anyone tries to glamor her, it causes her pain." He smiled as he looked at the king. "I know that it couldn't have been you, Your Majesty. It had to be one of your soldiers that has tried to glamor _my_ Sookie. That is an offense punishable by death. So," he began. "Which one of you tried to glamor her?"

The vampire soldiers looked at each other … wondering which one of them had tried to glamor me.

William, still staring at me, asked, "Was it you, Hebert? Were you the one that tried to glamor her? You have been giving her hard time since entering Eric's fine establishment this evening. Was it you?"

Hebert, the vampire that first confronted me, looked terrified. He began to rapidly shake his head. "I would never do that, my king. I know our laws very well. I would never …"

William raised his hand. "Take him out back and kill him," he ordered.

Two of the guards carried Hebert out back to do the king's bidding.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He was going to kill an innocent vampire for something that he'd done. Though I couldn't believe what I'd seen, I kept my face blank and my body relaxed.

"Forgive him, Ms. Stackhouse," the king said. "He will never try and glamor you again."

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Well," William said as he slammed his hands on the table. "I will take my leave." As he stood, he said, "Whatever you need in order to get your lover back, I am here to help you. Ms. Stackhouse, if you decide that you want to change masters, please, give me a call." He pulled a card from his pocket and slid it in front me.

I looked at it for a brief second. I picked it up from the table and handed it back to him. "I won't need it."

I could see the anger rolling in his eye even though he laughed. "Keep it," he suggested. "You'll never know what might happen."

Eric and I watched the king and his minions as they left. Once they were gone, I said, "He killed an innocent vampire."

Eric shook his head no. "Vampires are far from innocent."

"You know what I mean," I said. "He killed Hebert to cover up what he'd done."

"Yes."

I guess that's a normalcy in their world. In my world. "I guess I'll go home," I said as I sighed. "Since the king has closed the bar early, I can get some more of my boxes unpacked. I have a lot of boxes to unpack." The thought almost gave me a real headache.

Eric turned to look at me. "Have you had dinner?"

I shook my head no. "I haven't eaten since the peanut butter and jelly sandwich from this afternoon."

He stood up from the booth and offered me his hand. "Come," he said. "Let me buy you dinner."

Smiling up at him, I asked, "Are we going out on a date?"

He stared at the wall behind me before answering. "We are," he finally answered.

I slid out of the booth and stood tall and proudly in front of Eric. "I am starving."

And I did leave the king's business card on the table.


	17. Chapter 17

**17**

 **The Massacre**

 **Here is the chapter of what happened that night in Pam's home. It's not going to be graphic and it's not going to be filled with violence. I know that it's a short one but it's just an inkling of what happened. I want to thank y'all for the comments about my King Bill. He is an asshat and he'll always be an asshat. You haven't seen anything yet. As always, I hope that y'all enjoy. I'd also like to thank each of you for reading, reviewing, alerting, and making this story and me one of your favorites. Happy reading.**

 **The story idea belongs to me but these wonderful characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

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Maxwell, Heidi and I were enjoying each other's company in the living room and we were having a great time. Charles was with us but he'd gone into the kitchen to warm bloods for us. I know that I have humans here but they're not food. They work for me. They keep me company when I am lonely. Though I would never tell anyone, I consider them my family because they've been with me for so long. I would have never let anyone feed on them. Anyway, Clancy was here but he was somewhere patrolling as he always is. He's not into socializing. He feels that he's wasting Eric's money by sitting around and telling jokes. I know that I've strongly expressed several times that I hate that they are staying in my home … babysitting me at the behest of my maker but I've come to enjoy their company. Maxwell has always had a wicked sense of humor but I never knew that he was as funny as he is. Though I hate to admit it, I feel safe with him ... with all of them. At the time, I believed that no harm would come to me. To any of us if I am to be honest. Needless to say, I was wrong. I was so wrong. The feeling of being safe was nothing more than an illusion.

Heidi was playing the piano as Maxwell and I danced together. I stared out into the dark night and admired the lonesome moon. The stars were nowhere to be seen and the sky was so very black. I'd never seen it so dark. That should have been my clue that something was going to go wrong. I knew that we only had a couple of hours before the dawn. I could feel it and for the first time in a very long time, it bothered me. I wanted to stay awake just a little bit longer. We'd had a really great night. I didn't want it to end. I'd settled deeper into Maxwell's arms as we danced. He moved so gracefully. Not knowing why, he decided to share a secret with me. He shared that he has always loved to ballroom dance. "It has been a favorite pastime of mine," he said. "My wife, my human wife, she loved to dance."

I looked up at him ... surprised by his words. Maxwell has never been one for sharing. For just a brief moment, a flash of sadness passed through his eyes. "I never knew that you were married," I replied.

He nodded. "No one has ever asked me about my human life but I was. I was married and I was in love with her. Her name was Jillian. For three years," he whispered. "I was taken from her after only three years of marriage." He smiled at me. "I think of her often."

I rested my head on his shoulder as he held me tightly to him.

As Heidi was about to begin another song, the sounds of popping filled the air. Maxwell held me closer to his body. "Is that gun fire?"

Before I could answer, Charles came running into the room. "Run!" Charles screamed out. "Get her to safety now! They have come!"

He never got to tell us what was going on because he exploded right in front of us.

"Heidi, come," I said.

She stood from the piano bench. She took her knives from the sheaths. "I will be fine," she said. She looked at Maxwell and said, "Do as the master has ordered of us. Get her to safety. I will fend them off as best as I can."

Maxwell blurred me from the room before I could even see Heidi leave the room. He dragged me down the hall and forced me into my room. I tried to fight against him. I wanted to fight with him … as his side … at their sides. I didn't want to be hidden away like some priceless treasure. I'm anything but. I am a warrior. I am fucking fighter. I don't hide. I am no coward. "I can fight with you," I growled at him.

"No," he said. "Eric said to keep you safe and that is what I am going to do."

"But …"

"No!" he yelled at me. "You will stay here. Your life is important, Pam."

"As is yours," I exclaimed.

"If I don't return, stay in this room."

I said nothing.

He touched my face before locking me in my room and blurring away. I tried to stay put. I did but I could hear my friends and my humans as they fought and died … for me. I tried to remember that Eric said that I was not to put myself in danger. I tried to remember that my master told me how much I mean to him. I tried to hold onto how much he means to me. I knew that if anything happened to me, it would destroy him. I tried but I couldn't do it. I couldn't stand by and let my friends and my humans die while I stay locked away in that damned room. I am of my master's blood and he didn't make me to be a coward. That has never been what I am. That is not what he would truly want me to be. He knows that I can't stand by and let someone else fight my battles. My fight and my will to live is what drew him to me. I grabbed a sheet of paper from my desk and scribbled a note to Eric. Once it was written, I kissed it and slid it under my pillow.

"Forgive me, Eric," I whispered. I grabbed my swords from the wall before leaving my room.

Sadly, I was too late. My swords dropped onto the carpeted floor as I walked into my living room. There was so much blood. My humans were sprawled out on the floor. They were lying in pools of blood. My vampire friends were no more than globs of what they used to be. I could only imagine the carnage that waited for me outside of my home. The vampires that I've known for decades were now gone. The ones that I considered friends had been sent to their final death.

The pile of former vampire that was closest to the hallway, I'd assumed it was Maxwell. He died for me. I dropped to me knees and I cried. I'd failed them. I failed him. When they all needed me the most, I'd let them down. I'd let them die when I could've fought with them.

"Come with me, Pam."

I turned to see my enemy standing behind me with my swords in his hands. I stood from the floor and stared at him. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I couldn't believe who was standing before me. "Why, Maxwell? Why have you done this?" I looked out at the carnage that lay before us. I looked at the vampires that we'd both traveled with whom we both traveled the world. And he's killed them. He's sent them to their final death. "They were our friends."

He began to shake his head no as he ignored me. "I knew that you weren't going to do as you were told. As soon as I closed that door behind you, I said that you were going to come out and do the exact opposite of what you were supposed to do."

I looked down at the former vampire that was in front of me. "Who is this?"

"Clancy," he said. He laughed. "He tried but he was no match for me. He was quite young. No more than a century I do believe."

"Why?" I repeated.

Still holding onto my swords, he walked over to me and offered me his hand. "Come with me, Pam," he repeated.

"You will die for this," I whispered. "He will kill you just as soon as finds out what you've done."

Maxwell shook his head no. Pointing to glob that was on the floor, he said, "Enough of my blood is in the pile for him to believe that I have met my end. He will never know. The cameras were disarmed earlier this evening. Your regular guards have been replaced with new ones. I'm fairly safe for now. But if he does find out," he hurriedly added. "I am well prepared. When the time comes, he will see the light. He will know why this had to be done." He stepped in closer to me. "Come with me, Pam. I don't want to have to hurt you. I have always had an affinity to you."

I looked down at the swords in his hands and did as I was told. I walked ahead of him with my head held high and my back straight. He smiled at me and said, "I'm so glad that you've decided to finally do as you were told."

As I walked ahead of him, I said, "The least that you can do is tell me why."

He sighed. "No more questions, Pam. We don't have time for this. The sun will be upon us soon. The others will be here soon." He then chuckled. "Is that what you're banking on, old friend? That someone will be here to save you?" He leaned forward and whispered in my ear. "That is not going to happen. Everything has been taken care of."

I glanced behind me. "The swords in your hands are the only reason that you live."

"I can't disagree with that," he said. "You are one of the best fighters I've ever encountered. Eric taught you well. I knew that …"

I turned to face him. "You fucking coward," I said. "You are a disgrace to the blood that runs through your fucking veins. You will ..."

The last thing that I remember is the cracking of my jaw.

A few hours later, I woke up in a cage. A well decorated, silver cage. I sat up from the king sized bed and looked around me. I didn't know where I was or who Maxwell had delivered me to.

"I didn't know that vampers could wake up in the daytime." The young guard was smiling as he looked at me. "I had no fucking idea. Can you walk in the sun?"

"No, you fucking idiot," I said. "I'm a vampire that woke up during the daylight. I'm not a fucking human. I can just wake up early at times. Like today obviously." It is a gift that I've inherited from my maker. When I am distressed, I have the capacity to wake up early. Though, I am distressed, I can keep my feelings in check … for now. "Where am I?"

The guard shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

"Hey!" I yelled out as I walked to the silver bars.

Nothing.

I heard nothing.

"Someone talk to me!"

Nothing.

"Where am I?"

Still, I heard nothing.

I instantly thought of Eric and what he could be walking into if he goes to my home when he rises. I wrapped my hands around the silver bars and screamed out in pain. Though fear was the last thing that I wanted to send Eric, I needed to let him know that it has happened.

Painfully prying my hands from the bars, I walked slowly to the bed. I lied down and closed my eyes. With my hands face up, I smiled up at the ceiling. My master is going to find me. He's going to find me and he's going to bring me home but not before we kill them all.


	18. Chapter 18

**18**

 **How Do I Work a Murder Scene?**

 **Here is the next chapter. As always, I hope that y'all enjoy it. I thank each of you for reading, reviewing, making this story a favorite as well as me, and alerting to my story. The story idea belongs to me but these wonderful characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

 **A/N: I'd also like to give thanks to Blanche Deveraux for her witty, southern idiom. If you're a Golden Girls fan, you will see it when you read it.**

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We did go out to dinner. The restaurant was everything that I thought it would be. It was a nice, quiet, out of the way joint that had great food and even greater service. Everything was great but I ate alone. I wasn't alone but I was alone. I'll explain exactly what I mean. Eric, he sat at the dinner table with me but he was on the phone the entire time. He would ask me sporadically if the meal was to my liking or if I would like more wine or if I wanted dessert. I would graciously decline as I ate my meal in silence. Though this was supposed to be our first real date, I didn't get disappointed that he wasn't too focused on me. I understood that there were other pressing things at hand. His child had been taken. He was worried about her. His most loyal vampires and Weres had been murdered by an unknown assailant. He needed to set up a meeting with Thalia and her people before the night was over. After losing a few of his most trusted vampires, he has to call in more reinforcements. There were a lot of things that he needed to get done and I more than understood that. That's why when he left the table to meet with a fellow vampire, I called a cab to take me back to the bar so that I could get my car.

Please, don't think that I was upset because I wasn't upset. Not at all. I wasn't rude with it. I left him a note to let him know that I understood that he had work to do and we could have our first date some other time. I don't know if my note bothered him because I haven't heard from him. He may be cool with it since he had so much work to do. Maybe he wasn't too worried about me. I told him that I was going to go home. That was the plan.

I'd honestly planned on getting my car from Fangtasia and going home but I didn't do that. Well, I did get my car but I didn't go home. Instead, I called my dad. "Hey, daddy," I started. "Are you busy?"

He chuckled. "I'm never too busy for you," he said. "I'm at the police station. I'll be here for another hour if you want to stop by and keep your old dad company."

"I'll be there in a few minutes," I said. I called daddy when I got there and he met me out in the parking lot.

When he came outside, he got into the car and sat with me. He leaned across the seat and kissed my cheek. He sighed before speaking. "I talked to your brother today. I didn't know that Jason would go through my address book. He must have heard me on the phone with dad. We were discussing you and your new apartment. I didn't give him your address. I apologize for what he did." He then shook his head in disappointment. "I didn't know that he'd ask you for money."

"Yeah," I replied. "I did. I'm not surprised. It's Jason. In his world, it's all about him. I don't blame you."

Dad placed his hand on my shoulder but said nothing else about Jason. What could he possibly say about Jason that I didn't already know? All of Bon Temps knows what type of person Jason is. "So," he began. "To what do I owe this surprising yet wonderful visit?"

I knew that I couldn't tell dad anything specific. I was going to have to speak in hypotheticals and dad hates hypotheticals. "Dad, hypothetically speaking …"

He rested his head on the headrest as he squeezed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He rolled his head around and looked at me. "Sookie. Come on. You know how I hate hypotheticals."

"Well, dad," I began. "I really don't have too much of a choice. I can't tell you what's going on because I work in the vampire world and they are private people. I just need a little help from you, daddy. I just have a few questions and that's it."

He sat tall in the seat and faced me. I heard what he was going to say before he said it. "I don't know if I like you working with the vampires, Sookie. You haven't been working with them for a full month yet and you're already here asking me questions. This isn't sitting well with me at all."

My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. "I haven't asked you anything yet," I declared. "And how do you even know if it's something bad? It could be something basic. I could be here wanting to know how to write out parking tickets or something. You don't know."

"Sookie." He said my name the way he used to say it when I was little girl.

"Daddy."

"Sookie."

"Come on, dad," I said.

He sighed. "Ask me."

Here goes nothing. "If I'm working a murder scene, what types of clues should catch my eye? How do I work a murder scene so that I can get the best clues?"

I believed that was an innocent and simple question. Not my dad. "What!?" he yelled. "A murder scene? What have you gotten yourself into, Sookie Stackhouse?"

A couple of his colleagues walked past the car and looked at us. I waved and smiled at them. Dad gave them the head nod as he stared at me. I turned to my dad and asked, "Will you keep your voice down?"

He leaned in closer and whispered. "What has happened, Sookie?"

"I can't tell you, daddy," I repeated. "You don't tell me every single detail of the cases when I help you." And no. That wasn't a dig. "I just need to know what to look for and what I need to do. Will you help me or not?"

He looked guilty and that is the last thing that I wanted. All of that was water under the bridge. I just wanted him to help me. "Okay," he replied. He almost sounded defeated. "But you will hear this whether you want to or not. You are my daughter and I have every right worry about you. I have every right to know if you are putting yourself in any type of danger. You may be grown and out on your own now but you are still my little girl. I have every right to worry about you, Sookie. Don't make me feel guilty for doing so."

I placed my hand on his and smiled. "I know that, daddy, and I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. I wouldn't do that. I didn't have to help you. I could have said no but I didn't. I helped you because I wanted to. But you've got to understand that I'm not a little girl anymore. Just as you do, I have a job to do. I have to make sure that I use every advantage that's available to me. You are a detective. You have been a cop for over twenty years and you can help me. You can make sure that I do my job to the best of my abilities. And if you help me, I know that I will be safe. I won't go off half-cocked without a plan. By helping me, you can keep your little girl safe. Daddy, I just want to do my job as best as I can. I know that if you help me, I can do that. So, will you help me?"

He chortled as he looked at me. "You are good," he said. "Boy, you're good. Okay. Murder scene clues. Well, first you have to be careful of your surroundings. Even the smallest thing could break your case wide open. Not everything is about fingerprints. Talk to people. Watch people. Listen closely to what is and isn't being said. Keep your eyes and ears open always. Keep impeccable notes and remember. No one is innocent. Everybody that is involved in any way, is a suspect."

"Why?"

"Because they have some knowledge of what's going on," he said. "Anyone that has been at the crime scene before it was inspected by the 'police' … in this case, anyone that isn't you or your superior, is a suspect. Has anyone been at the crime scene before you and your superiors arrived?"

I nodded. Jake. Trey. And whomever else's bodies that weren't among the dead.

"They're all suspects," he repeated. "They could have moved something before you got there. They could have cleaned up some of the crime scene to hide what needed to be hidden. They could've helped their accomplices escape to throw you off of the trail." He then sighed. "You have one major disadvantage. You're working in the supe world. All of the supes are very private. They don't like it when outsiders are poking into their business."

"Yeah," I agreed. "I can't read them all and I'm more than sure that they won't like it if I invade their personal space to get a read on them. I'm sure that I can find a way to get around it."

Daddy sat back in the seat and stared ahead for a moment. "You're going to have to watch them … their every move but don't be too obvious with it. Use that Stackhouse charm that flows through your veins. You're going to need it." He paused for a moment. "Can you do this?"

I took in what he said. It doesn't sound too hard to do. "I can do it," I affirmed. "Daddy, something happened this morning … as you've probably already figured out. Have you heard anything about something happening on Saint Francis Road early this morning? Maybe at about 4:00 am or earlier?"

He frowned at me. "As a matter of fact," he began. "We did get a call about hearing gun fire in that area. I don't know what time it was but we did get a call. Is this the case that you're working on?"

"Could be," I answered. "Do you know who called in? Was it a neighbor?"

Daddy shook his head no. "I hadn't come on yet. They were talking about it when I got here this evening. Detective Bellefleur said that they sent a car to the address. When he got there, everything seemed to be fine."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything seemed to be fine," he repeated. "A guy answered the door to the house where the gun fire was supposedly heard. Andy said that he was wearing a robe and sipping on a cup of coffee when he got there. He was with the lady of the house I assume. He said that he could smell breakfast cooking."

There is no way that was possible. Pam is a vampire and she doesn't answer the door during daylight hours and she surely doesn't eat breakfast. There's no man that would be answering the door to her home wearing a robe and drinking a cup of coffee. If Pam's humans were still alive, I'd assume that it was one of them but she doesn't let them get that comfortable in her home. Something's not right.

"Did he get the name of the guy that answered the door? Do you think that he would recognize the guy if he saw him again?"

"Possibly," he answered. "I don't think he got his name. He didn't mention one. And I'm sure that he'd recognize him. Andy has been a cop just as long as I have."

I scooted closer to the edge of my seat. "Did anyone else report anything? You know, were any other calls made about the shooting? Did anyone see anything at all? A car? A truck, maybe? Something. Anything that I can use."

"No." Daddy was still frowning. "Is this your case?"

"I can't tell you but if you guess, I won't answer you."

"This is your case."

I didn't answer.

This time, daddy squeezed his eyes closed. "I don't like this, Sookie. I don't like this at all."

"I'll be fine, daddy," I replied. "I'm doing the same thing that you're doing and I'm going to be fine. Grandpa has given me weapons. He's taught me to fight and he's taught me many different languages. I'm not going in blind, daddy. Trust that I can take care of myself." I placed my hand on his and said, "I've been doing it for a long time. I'm going to be fine."

Daddy looked at me and nodded his head. "If you need me, don't hesitate to call me. I will come running."

"I know," I said.

Daddy leaned in and kissed me before getting out of the car. He walked to the driver's side of the car and said, "I love you, Sunshine."

"I love you too, daddy."

He waved at me as he began walking away. I hated seeing him like that. He looked so defeated and so worried. I didn't want him to worry over me but I know that because he's my dad and I'm his baby girl, he's going to worry. I guess that's part of being a parent.

"Hey!" I yelled at him.

He turned around. "Yeah?"

"How did I do with the questioning? Was I good?"

He smiled at me. "You were excellent. Best detective I've ever met."

I blew him a kiss as I cranked my car. "Thanks, dad. I love you."

* * *

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

* * *

When I got home, I showered and got ready for bed. I thought about what dad and I talked about tonight. I found a notebook and took notes of everything that we'd discussed. I'd even written down the names of my possible suspects. I hated to think that Jake, Trey, Bassir, and Alcide could be involved with what has happened but they were the first ones on the scene. I wanted to speak with Trey about what he knew since he was the first one there. And he is downstairs guarding me. I could invite him up and question him. I _should_ invite him up and question him. Jake said that Trey was the first one there. I sat crossed legged in the middle of my bed and stared at my cell phone.

"Should I call him?" I said to the phone. I shook my head in wonder. "I don't know how he'll take it with me questioning him. I know that I'd be offended."

The phone didn't reply.

"I think that I'll call him."

Before I could do that, my phone rang. I jumped because it scared me half to death. I guess after all that's happened in this past week, my nerves were getting the best of me. I was as jumpy as a virgin at a prison rodeo. Once, I'd gathered my bearings, I answered the call. "This is Sookie."

"Hello, Ms. Stackhouse."

I had no idea who was calling me. I looked at the caller id. It read private. I didn't know anyone that had a private number or even used one for that matter. "This is Ms. Stackhouse. Whom may I ask is calling?"

"It is I," he said. "William Compton, the king of Louisiana."

"Oh."

He laughed.

I remained silent.

"I called to see how you are doing this evening."

"I just saw you about an hour ago. I was fine then and I am fine. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Compton."

Again, he laughed. "I know that you are wondering why I have called you."

"No," I said. "What I'm wondering is how you got my phone number. It is unlisted and only my family and my closest friends have my number. I am a very private person. I don't give out my personal information so easily … especially to strangers."

"I am a king," he announced. "I can get any number that I want and I wanted yours."

"Who gave you my number?" I asked. I didn't try to hide the suspicion in my voice. I don't trust him. I don't think that I ever will.

"I am _king_ ," he said. That time, he didn't sound as playful or confident. "I wanted to speak with you about your relationship with my sheriff."

"I mean no disrespect, your majesty," I began. "But I feel that my relationship with Eric is no one's business but ours. I will repeat for good measure that I belong to him. I am not willing to leave him for anyone else. Not a regular vampire or another sheriff or even a king. I am with Eric."

The king laughed loudly that time. A little too loudly. That told me that he was either lying or he was lying. I could only deduce that he was lying. "Oh, Ms. Stackhouse," he said. "I am not calling to take you away from your Viking. I want to know what he has you doing for him. Tonight, I have received a list of supes that will be helping him in locating his child. I want to know why your name has appeared on the list of supes. As far as I can see, Ms. Stackhouse, you are not a supe. Or am I missing something?"

"What are you asking me?" I paused for a moment as I thought of his words. "Are you asking me if he glamored me into being his? Is that what you're asking me?"

"I am."

My ears perked for just a moment. "Is Eric there with you?"

"Why does that matter?" he asked me. "I want to know whether or not Eric has glamored you to keep you under his thumb."

I could only guess that Eric was there but for now, I wanted to answer the king's question. I was highly insulted and I wanted to make sure that this a-hole knew it. "Eric is a vampire of great honor. He would never glamor me into doing anything that I don't want to do. You should do well to know this. I would think that you _would_ know this since he is your sheriff, your majesty. You trusted him enough give him a position of some power and question the type of vampire that he is? You give me reason to question you."

He was quiet for a moment. "I would never believe that Eric would do that. I just wanted to know why you were included with his list of employees. There are no hidden insinuations in my questions or concerns."

Though I was unwilling to do it to Eric, I was more than willing to lie to the king. "Pam is one of my best friends and I want to do whatever I can to help bring her home. I want her to be safe. It's important to me that Eric gets her back because he loves her so. Those are the reasons why I am involved."

"Hmmm," the king said. "For some reason, Ms. Stackhouse, I feel that you are trying to deceive me. Are my feelings correct, Ms. Stackhouse? Are you trying to deceive me?"

"If there's nothing else, your majesty," I said. "I have work that I have to do."

"Yes," he replied. "I also find that to be a bit odd. I would think that the Viking gives you no rest. He must enjoy you every chance that he gets … though not intimately. You _are_ still a virgin. Do you enjoy his company?"

"Your earlier comments and assumptions from this evening were not very kingly, your majesty," I commented. "I see that nothing has changed. Your words are becoming quite repetitive … your comments about Eric's and my sexual relationship. This is the second time you've questioned me about our sexual status and again, I will not dignify your statement with an answer. I would think that you would have a more respectful attitude when you are speaking to a lady and I, sir, am a lady. And whether I enjoy the company of Eric is none of your business. So, please don't insult us with your comments any further. It would appreciate."

"Forgive me," he said. He even sounded as if he meant it. "I meant no disrespect to you, Ms. Stackhouse. If you don't mind me saying, you are different. No wonder Eric seems to be so besotted with you. I, as well, am quite intrigued."

"Good evening, your majesty," I said once again.

"Ms. Stackhouse," he said. "There is another reason for my call. I wanted to let you know that you will be reporting to me along with Eric. I came back to his bar to offer him my full support in finding his child; though when I arrived he wasn't present. As you are now aware, I let him that I will help him. I know that I should have done that during my first appearance but it didn't occur to me to do so at that time." There was brief pause. "When he arrived at the bar, he looked as if he was looking for something, Ms. Stackhouse. Was it you?"

Those words made my heart skip a beat. Eric went back to the bar. Maybe he was hoping that I was going to still be there. "So Eric is there?" I asked before I realized that I'd asked.

"Did you not know where your Viking is, my dear?" His voice oozed smugness.

"I hadn't too long left him," I clarified. "I didn't know that he was going back. That is the only reason that I ask."

"Hmmm," he said. "Are you concerned that he's been with the fangbangers again?" He laughed. "If you are, I can understand. He is quite the lady's man … and men from what I've heard. Though I don't entertain gossip, I can see why you would question his whereabouts … his loyalty."

He is the second vampire to mention Eric's sexual prowess. He's the first one to mention that he's been with men but I'm not going to let that cloud my judgement of him. That's Eric's past. I won't allow him to try and plant seeds of doubt in my mind. That's what William wants. "I don't question Eric. I don't question him because I trust him completely. His past is just that. His past."

"You are a treasure, Ms. Stackhouse," he said. After a brief pause, he said, "Let me continue with my previous comment. Because I have offered Eric my full support, I want a full update of what is learned. I want to know who has taken it upon themselves to remove my subjects from within my kingdom. I want to know who has come into my sheriff's city and killed his vampires and humans." He paused for a moment. "I am not what you think I am, Ms. Stackhouse. I may be a king but I respect Eric wholly. I will stand with him when the time comes. You have my word. You can trust me."

I wasn't too sure about that and to be sure that I was right about him, I mentioned Hebert. "I hate that you had to kill one of your vampires tonight. I don't quite understand how you came to the idea that it was he that was trying to glamor me but it bothers me that he had to die just the same; especially if he died because of the actions of another. Isn't it a shame?"

"It is," he agreed. "It definitely is but Hebert knew the law. We are not to try and glamor another vampire's human. That is penalty of death. It is a good thing that Eric added that extra precaution to keep you safe. No telling what would have happened if he hadn't done that."

"No telling indeed," I agreed.

"He is a smart one, he is," the king replied.

"Yes, he is." And with that, I was done with this conversation. "Good evening, your majesty," I repeated.

"Good evening, Ms. Stackhouse." I could hear the smile in his voice as I ended the call.

I stared down at my phone as I placed it back onto my bed. I wasn't in the mood for talking to Trey. I would do that in the morning. I needed to figure out what Mr. Compton was up to but until then, I knew what I had to do.

"Another suspect," I said as I scribbled in my notebook.


	19. Chapter 19

**19**

 **Just an Employee**

 **Eric's POV – There won't be many but we will get to see a few things through his eyes.**

 **In this story, I've decided to change Thalia's personality. I figured since this is an AU story, why not? I hope that y'all enjoy it. As always, I want to thank you for the reviews, the favorites, and alerts. I especially want to thank you for your time. The story idea belongs to me but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

 **A/N: To the guest reviewer that left me that long and very thoughtful review for the last chapter, I wanted to let you know that I've gotten that covered. She hasn't forgotten that she's a telepath. You'll see where it's going once I post the next chapter. I have completed three chapters so far. It's just taking me a while to edit because of my working hours. And please, let me know what you think. I hope that you enjoy it.**

* * *

When I returned to the table, I knew that she'd be gone. I knew that she was bored and I knew that the date was not what she'd expected. I wanted to give her _that_ date but because of the day's happenings, I was unable to do that and for that I am sorry. Maybe we can have our first date another time … once things have calmed down a bit. I would be more than happy to do that. I thoroughly enjoy being with her. She is excellent company. She's very intelligent. She has an outstanding sense of humor. She is so intriguing that she has made my child fall for her charms. And me? I don't know what I feel for her but I feel something that I have never had the pleasure of feeling. As a human, no woman ever enthralled me. No woman ever captured my attention for more than a night but Sookie has changed that and I don't understand why. I'm not complaining about it. It's refreshing yet disturbing. It disturbs me because I haven't a clue as to why Sookie Stackhouse has invaded my mind as she's done. And because of it, I will do what is necessary to keep her safe.

"Eric?'

I turned to see Thalia and one of her children standing behind me. "Thank you for coming," I said to her. "I hope that your trip was a pleasant one."

"It was," Thalia answered. "The accommodations were outstanding. Thank you."

Pointing at the seat across from mine, I said, "Please, sit and tell me if she's safe."

"She is safe," she reported … her voice as sexy and husky as ever. "Your human, this Sookie Stackhouse, she was with a man at the police station. From what I heard of their conversation, it was her father. She was still with him when I and Guinevere left her. Kendra will be with her for the remainder of the night. She will keep her safe. She is a proficient fighter." She smiled as she looked at me and crossed her legs. "This is something new for you, Eric. I have never known for you to care for anyone other than Pam … especially not a human. She's a beautiful human but she is, after all, a human. Dare I ask if you are smitten with her?"

Thalia has always been quite observant. She was always looking and watching. Taking in everything around her. She could see things that weren't there as well as what was. She may have been a bit accurate with her observations; especially tonight. Even so, I laughed off her comment. "You are mistaken, my friend. She is just an employee. Nothing more than an employee."

She looked at her child and beckoned for her to leave us. Once we were alone, Thalia said, "Belinda is just an employee. Ginger is just an employee. Not Sookie Stackhouse. I know that she works for you but she's more than that. She's an employee that has had your blood. You have never given anyone your blood, Eric … not even those closest to you. Do you remember when Clancy lost a limb in that bar fight in Germany and he was losing blood by the gallons? You'd known him for many, many years and you wouldn't give him a drop of your blood. Kendra had to feed him. But this Sookie Stackhouse, this human, you've willingly fed her your blood." She shook her head as she talked. "She's more than an employee to you. It's okay if she is. I won't judge you, old friend. We all need companionship. And as always, your secrets are safe with me."

I stared evenly at the vampiress. "She is very valuable to me. I need to keep her close … always. I need to keep her safe. She is an investment and nothing more. Don't make it out to be more than it is."

Thalia shrugged her shoulders and said, "If you say so." She then removed an envelope from the inside of her jacket. "As you know, I work diligently when it comes to those close to me. It bothered me to think that Pam would deliberately discontinue her security services knowing that she was in danger. It made no sense at all. So, I contacted the surveillance company and this is what they had." She began to shake her head. "You wouldn't believe what I had to go through to get this."

"Nothing," I answered. "You went through nothing."

She winked at me as she laughed.

As I opened and read over the document that she'd given me, Thalia continued to tell me what she and her children had discovered. "Per Maudette Pickens, Pam's services had been disconnected just on Monday … two days before she'd gone missing. She said that they were to come out tomorrow to remove the cameras. And as you already know, nothing was recorded."

I frowned as I read over the documents. I looked at Thalia and said, "Her services were canceled during daytime hours. Pam would have never let anyone cancel her surveillance services on her behalf."

"It was a human," Thalia said. "She claimed to have been Pam's day girl. She gave the name of Dawn Green. She said that she'd be handling Pam's affairs from now on because of the new role that she's taken in her mistress's life. She was well prepared, Eric. She had proof that she was Pam's employee. That woman was well prepared." She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. "You've never heard of Dawn Green." It wasn't a question.

I looked at her. "I have not and I'm quite sure that Pam hasn't heard of her either." I glared at Thalia and asked, "Has she been located?"

As she shook her head, she said, "She has not but we are on it. She won't get away. We will find her and we will question her. You have my word. We also believe that everything that happened this morning happened during the shift change. The human guards, the ones that you'd hired, were killed during the night. Their bodies haven't been located. Bassir and Alcide are investigating as we speak. The Weres were killed when they arrived to take over for the vampires. Our brethren were killed just as they were about to go to rest." She began to speak in a whispered voice. "We believe that it was an inside job. Someone that you trust has betrayed you in the worst way."

I stared at her for a moment. I could see that she knew who it was. "Tell me."

"Maxwell," she said. "Heidi's remains smelled of her just as Charles' smelled of him. I could also smell Clancy … with a mixture of Maxwell Lee. The scent of Clancy was extremely strong. I could smell a smattering of Maxwell but not enough. The scent of his blood was strong but I believe that it is because he's old. His blood was quite strong in the vampire remains next to that of Clancy but it was not him. He was trying to throw us off. He failed. He is the one that has betrayed you and your child."

I was silent for a slight moment. The sounds in the restaurant were no longer playing in the background. The people that surrounded us were gone. There was no one in the room but me and Thalia. "Has he been located?"

"He has not," she answered.

"Is his employer known to you?"

Again, she said no. "He is not but don't worry, Eric. Debbie and Jannalynne are on it. Colonel Flood said that they are two of the best female Weres that he has. He said that if anyone can find him, they will. As soon as they catch a scent, they will let me know and he will pay with his life."

"No one touches him," I ordered. "He is mine."

"As you wish." She threw her hair over her shoulder and relaxed back in the chair and sighed needlessly. She smiled as she drummed her fingers on the table. "We will get her back. Pam will be with you soon."

My fangs ran out slowly as a voracious smirk appeared on my face. "Yes, we will, Thalia. We most certainly will. There is no doubt at all, my friend. We will get her back and I will kill Maxwell and whomever it is that employs him. No one takes what is mine and lives."

* * *

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

* * *

I was going to go home but I needed to go to the bar and check in with the new crew that Sheriff Cleo Babbitt had loaned to me from Area Four. They were going to be with me until I'm able to replace the vampires that have been sent to the grave. I expected to see them there but I was in for a surprise. They were nowhere to be found but the king was. Unfortunately, he'd returned. He was sitting in my booth surrounded by his underlings and he was waiting on me. He appeared put off to realize that I was alone. I could only guess that he was expecting to see Sookie with me.

"Eric," he called as I walked towards him. He was smiling broadly. "As you can see, I have returned."

I bowed to him before taking the seat across from him. "What can I do for you, your majesty?"

"Ah," he said. "It is not what you can do for me but what I can do for you. I want to offer my help in finding your child."

That struck me as odd. Bill has never done anything for anyone without expecting anything in return. The only thing that I could think that he wants is Sookie and she is something that he cannot have. "I appreciate your offer, your majesty, but I have everything taken care of on my end. I have called in several favors and I have some very loyal friends that are willing to help me. There is no need for you to put yourself out. There is more for you to do than concern yourself with the whereabouts of Pam."

Bill snapped his fingers. One of his minions placed a folder in his waiting hand. He placed it on the table and slid it over to me. "This is for you, Eric. Everything that you'll need to find your child … vampires and Weres. They are very strong and very loyal to their king. Skillful in weaponry and hand to hand combat. You will have nothing to fear with them at your side. In this, Sheriff, you will prevail." He began to pretend to dust something from the lapel of his jacket before resuming. "Before leaving this evening, I had Palomino provide me a list of your closest employees. I expected to see several names on that list but I was surprised to see the name of Ms. Stackhouse. I believed her to be yours intimately but I've come to learn that she's yours professionally instead … or am I incorrect?" He glanced up at me as he placed his hand onto the table.

"She is mine in every way," I growled as my fangs ran down. "She is a southern belle and she has requested that we take our relationship slow and because I respect and admire her, I have done as she's asked of me. So, your majesty, whatever you think, you are wrong. Sookie is mine … in every way."

A smirk sat prominently on his smug face. "Put your fangs away, Viking. I just wanted to make sure that the girl truly belonged to you. It's just surprising that you'd use a human to help you find your child. I'm just curious as to why that is."

My fangs fade from view as I responded the king's comments. "Because since Sookie and I have been together, she and Pam have become quite close. They have become what Sookie calls girlfriends."

"Hmm," Bill replied. "I find that to be strange. Aren't you and Pam lovers? Haven't you two been lovers for quite a few years?"

"We are not," I replied. "Pam and I have _not_ been lovers for quite a few years. She is a lover of women now. She has no need for me and Sookie is aware of what Pam is and was to me. I have hidden nothing from her." I could see the smugness oozing from Bill's deceitful eyes. I wanted to see him choke on it.

"I guess we shall see," he said. Bill then whipped his phone from his jacket pocket. He looked at the list of employees and there on it was Sookie's phone number. Her number was to be unknown to anyone outside of my trusted circle. Palomino knew this. Even she didn't Sookie's number. She will explain to me how she got that number. Palomino's last night of employment at Fangtasia was tonight.

I watched as the king called Sookie. He was smiling broadly and he was filled with self-confidence as he dialed her number. I wanted to reach across the table and wring his fucking neck. I wanted to see him suffer at my hands. I wanted to watch him beg for his life. I wanted all of that … at first. As I listened to him and Sookie talking on the phone, I figured that speaking with Sookie on the phone was much better than death for the smug king.

"This is Ms. Stackhouse. Whom may I ask is calling?"

"It is I," he said. "William Compton, the king of Louisiana."

"Oh."

I smiled broadly as I basked in the glorious sound of my future lover's dissatisfaction. The king has not left much of a favorable impression upon her. When he killed Hebert for his actions, she could undoubtedly see him for what he is.

"Who gave you my number?"

The look on Bill's face was one of fury and annoyance. He didn't like being questioned and he especially didn't like that he was being questioned by a human … or so he thought. The complacency that he was feeling before he called her was slowly ebbing away into nothing. "I am a _king_ ," he simply said. "I wanted to speak with you about your relationship with my sheriff."

I glared at him through hooded eyes.

"I mean no disrespect, your majesty," she began. "But I feel that my relationship with Eric is no one's business but ours. I will repeat for good measure that I belong to him. If you are calling to offer yourself to me, I am not willing to leave him for anyone else. Not a regular vampire or another sheriff or even a king. I am with Eric."

I looked at the king and smiled. I leaned back in my seat as I crossed my arms over my chest. I repeated her words over in my mind. When I hired her, I knew that I was making the right decision. She is a woman of her word. I can't imagine another woman turning down the king when he has so much more to offer. Any other woman is not my Sookie. The king's extremely loud laughter was one of great relief to me. He was getting nowhere with my woman.

"Oh, Ms. Stackhouse," he said. "I am not calling to take you away from your Viking. I want to know what he has you doing for him. Tonight, I have received a list of supes that will be helping him in locating his child. I want to know why your name has appeared on the list of supes. As far as I can see, Ms. Stackhouse, you are not a supe. Or am I missing something?"

He was questioning my relationship with Sookie because he doesn't believe that she is mine. He can't seem to fathom why I have agreed to wait and make love to her. He believes that I should take what I want regardless of what she wants. He believes that I have glamored her to make her mine. That is so far from the truth.

"Are you asking me if he glamored me into being his? Is that what you're asking me?"

"I would never do that," I snarled.

He raised his hand as to quiet me. Answering Sookie, he said, "I am."

My growl slowly faded away when I heard Sookie ask if I was present and just as I expected him to, the king evaded my woman's question. It didn't matter. She wasn't done.

What Sookie said next, is the precise reason why she has preoccupied my every thought. "Eric is a vampire if great honor. He would never glamor me into doing anything that I don't want to do. You should do well to know this. I would think that you _would_ know this since he is your sheriff, your majesty. You trusted him enough give him a position of power and now you question the type of vampire that he is? You give me reason to question you."

I sat tall in my seat as I stared at the king. My complacency was in full view.

The king couldn't hide his discomfiture. Everyone that was near him heard the human take him to task. He eyed me furiously as he responded to Sookie's comment. "I would never believe that Eric would do that. I just wanted to know why you were included with his list of employees. There are no hidden insinuations in my questions or concerns."

I smiled as I imagined her rolling her eyes as she answered him. "Pam is one of my best friends and I want to do whatever I can to help bring her home. It's important to me that Eric gets her back because he loves her so. That is the only reason why I'm helping him."

"I told you," I said in a tone that only he could hear.

He looked away from me as Sookie continued speaking. I could tell that he wasn't finished with her. He had more up his sleeve. It was more than obvious that the so-called king was going to do whatever he could to try and take Sookie away from me. What he said next was all that I needed to know to confirm my suspicions. "Are you concerned that he's been with the fangbangers again?" He laughed. "If you are, I can understand. He is quite the lady's man … and men from what I've heard. Though I don't entertain gossip, I can see why you would question his whereabouts."

I stood from my seat and glared down at him. His minions pointed their weapons at me as to make sure that I returned to my seat … which I did. My future lover's next comments were glorious.

Sookie said, "I don't question Eric. I don't question him because I trust him completely. His past is just that. His past."

Bill's fist tightened. His nails were soon embedded into the palm of his hand. He wants what is mine and he shall never have her. He tried to turn the conversation back to his sudden act of kindness of helping me to locate my child but Sookie didn't fall for it. She took him to task on everything that he'd said to her and I loved it. Every single bit of it.

"She is quite the handful," he said once the call ended. "You haven't tried to bring her to heel?"

"She is very obedient … to her master," I answered. "I will speak to her for the way that she's spoken to you. She's not properly schooled in the way of the vampire. I will make her aware. Until tonight, she's never met royalty. She will behave differently the next time that you meet with her."

Sliding out of the booth and preparing to leave, he said, "I should hope so." He looked down at me and said, "She mentioned feeling you."

I nodded somewhat. "So I heard."

"The tie is quite strong," he stated.

"It is."

"You share blood with her often?"

A faint smile appeared on my face. "You are getting quite personal, your majesty. I'm not the type to kiss and tell. Plus, as you've probably already guessed, Sookie would not be pleased to learn that I have discussed something so personal with you or anyone else. After all," I added. "I _must_ keep her happy if I want to keep her."

"And you want to keep her."

"Oh, yes."

He slid into his coat with ease as he spoke. "And I mean it … that I want to give you my help. I want to offer you my support in finding Pam. She has not always been one of my favorite vampires but I know how it feels to have your child taken from you. Though you haven't suffered the same loss as I have, I want to make sure that you never have to." Something like sorrow passed through his eyes. "Good evening, Eric."

As soon as he was gone, I looked at my watch. It was still quite early. There was still a bit of time available to me. I wanted to see Sookie before the night ended.


	20. Chapter 20

**20**

 **It Was a Bit of Both**

 **Thank you all so much for the reviews and your time. Your alerts and making me and my story a favorite is a wonderful feeling. The characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is all mine. Without further delay, enjoy.**

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When she opened the door, I caught an unnecessary breath. She was dressed in a t-shirt that came down to her knees. Her robe was thrown on haphazardly and her hair was thrown into the sloppiest ponytail I'd ever seen. To me, in that moment, she was the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen. I wanted to take her in my arms and never let her go but I didn't do that. I did what a gentleman does when he has disappointed his lady. "I apologize for the way the evening ended with us," I said. "I wanted to give you more."

With the door open, she turned away from me and walked to the couch. "It's okay," she said as she flopped onto the couch. She covered her mouth as she yawned. "I'm not mad about it. There is so much going on that there's no way in the world we'll have time for a date. Not right now. I more than understand. You don't have to apologize to me." She stared at me from the couch and smiled.

As she smiled, I waited. She knew full well that I couldn't come in unless she invited me. I made her mindful of that the night that she asked me to bond with her. If she doesn't … and then I knew. She'd already made it possible for me to enter to her home. I took a step forward and entered her home without a problem … without a single hesitation or pause.

Her smile broadened as she watched me walking towards her. "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to figure it out."

"Too long," I replied. In seconds, I sitting on the couch next to her. I was silent for a moment because I didn't know how to express my thanks to her for defending me to the king this evening. It turns out that I didn't have to say a word.

"You were with the king tonight, weren't you?" she asked. She sat crossed legged as she turned to face me. "I thought that I heard you in background when he called me. I could feel your amusement and irritation. He must have been feeling some type of way about the way that I was speaking to him. He deserved it. He had no right speaking and thinking less if you. He needed to know that he was wrong."

"He was and it pleased me. I apologize for that as well … for him calling you," I said. "I would have never given him your phone number. I have since decided to fire the vampire that has done so but only after she's been questioned. I will do what is necessary to keep you safe. I have made a promise to you and it is one that I intend to keep."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I know that. I knew that you didn't give it to him. He probably would have found it sooner or later anyway. You don't have to fire anyone because me." She cocked her head to side and stared at me. Her ponytail swung lazily over her shoulder. "Everything that I said to him, I meant. I didn't like how he questioned me about the type of vampire that you are. I don't like how he tried to make me doubt you. I didn't like it at all. I just wanted you to know that."

"I know that," I assured her. "And Sookie, though it may have pleased me to hear you mouth off to the king as you'd done, you must be mindful of how you speak to him. There are consequences that one may suffer for such disrespect."

She sneered. "He wouldn't touch me."

"No," I agreed. "He wouldn't touch you." He would want to punish her but that would not be an option. Not for me.

She understood my meaning instantly. Her eyes widened with realization. "I won't do it again."

"Thank you."

"Is he really going to help us?"

"So he says," I answered. "I have an idea as to why he's so willing to help us."

The look on her face told me that she was far from flattered at receiving the king's attentions. "I don't like him at all. I don't trust him. Anyone that will kill one of his own vampires for something that _he'd_ done is up to no good." She then had a look of unease on her face. "What he said to me this evening … about your sexual escapades, I won't let his nonsense affect me. I'm not that weak minded. And if you did go to the bar to meet with someone else, I'm not angry. You and I aren't a couple. We're just getting to know one another." She shrugged her shoulders as she looked down at the couch. "If you're seeing someone else, it's okay. I just wanted you to know that."

I could feel that she didn't mean it. She didn't like the thought of me going to meet another but I didn't speak on it. "Thank you," I replied. "But I did not go there to meet with anyone. I went there to take care of some business and the king just so happened to be there waiting for me. He was hoping that you would be with me." I began to chuckle. "You seem to have this touch … this spark about you that draws beings to you."

She soon stared out into nothing. "Hmm," she said. "Maybe that's what he means."

"Who?" I asked.

She fanned off the comment and said, "Just something that my grandpa has always said. Did he believe me when I said that I was helping to look for Pam because she's my friend?"

I chuckled. "Yes because he didn't believe me when I made that same declaration. He was quite surprised when you clarified my reasons."

"Great minds think alike, huh?" She playfully bumped my shoulder. "I want you to know that I really do like Pam and I am doing this because I like her and because of you. I think that I know what she means to you and how her kidnapping has made you feel. Plus, I want to help you."

"I know," I assured her.

She was soon settled deeper into the comfort of the couch. "So, what brings you here tonight?"

"There is much that you need to know." I filled her in on the things that I'd learned from Thalia. I didn't tell her about the conversation that Thalia and I had about her but she was advised of the important parts of the conversation. She was made aware of the surveillance system and the betrayal. "Thalia has discovered that Maxwell was not among the dead. His blood was planted to make me believe that he was but he is our traitor."

I could see the exact moment Sookie's heart fell. I could feel it as the disappointment of what Maxwell has done course through her. "I thought that he was her friend. He pretended to be loyal to you both. How could he betray you like that? What he is getting out of this?"

I had to use the three most hated words in my vocabulary. "I don't know," I answered. "I sometimes wish that I had more children. Pam has never betrayed me. She has always been with me and she's never let me down. This would not have happened had I surrounded myself with more of those that I trust. Those of my blood. Maybe I should rethink my choices."

She scooted close to me and placed her hand on mine. "You can't blame yourself for what Maxwell has done. He had a choice and his choice was to betray you. The others, the vampires, Weres, and humans, they didn't betray you. They remained true to you. To you and Pam. Out of those that have died, only one has done the unthinkable. You haven't failed her."

I permitted myself to smile at her words. She was right. The others gave their lives for us … for Pam. Just as the others did, Maxwell will pay with his life. There is no need to rethink my choices. There is no need to let one traitor destroy what I have so meticulously built. The relationships that I have with the others will not be affected due to Maxwell's stupidity. He is the one that is going to pay for his treachery.

"Eric, do you know why he would do that? What would make him betray you?"

I shook my head no. "I do not. I have been an outstanding sheriff to my subjects. I wouldn't have them do anything that I wouldn't do myself. I have shown them nothing but respect. I have defended them even when they have been wrong. They've had to face punishment a time or two but they never had reason to fear or betray me. I don't understand what had to have been going through Maxwell's mind for this to happen."

"Jealousy?" she asked.

That could be a viable reason but that's not Maxwell. "No," I said as I shook my head.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "He did this."

There would have been a time when I wouldn't have been able to bring myself to believe that Maxwell would ever do anything to betray me or Pam. That time has since passed. "I have known Maxwell for many years and he's never appeared to begrudge me of anything that I have achieved. He has always appeared to be proud of me and my accomplishments. He is a vampire from my past. A vampire that I believed that I could trust. I met him in England. The year was 1834, I do believe."

Her eyes lit up when she heard the year. "Wow," she whispered. "That was in interesting era. My grandpa told me a lot about that time. The kings and queens were fascinating. The clothing … the laws ... the stories. I can't believe that you were there. I'll bet that your memories are outstanding. Was Pam with you during that time?"

"She was." I beamed as I thought of Pam. "She had been made vampire for quite some time and she was a little more than I could handle."

Sookie began to laugh. "I can see that."

"She hasn't changed very much," I confirmed. "She was so spoiled. I gave her everything that she'd ever wanted. I still do. She is so very important to me, Sookie. There are many makers that release their children after some time has passed but Pam and I have an unbreakable bond. In more ways than one, she is my child."

"I can see that," she said. "When you two are together, it's hard not to see what you mean to each other."

And that troubled me. That is why she was taken.

"Before she could fight, I protected her against everything. In the beginning, she loved being catered to and defended but as time passed by, she wanted to be able to fight and defend herself. She wanted to be prepared for anything." I then chuckled. "Maxwell turned out to be that anything. It was something that I know that she wasn't prepared to face."

The smile was soon gone from her face. "How did you two meet … you and Maxwell?"

I smiled at her. "It was during the rule of King William IV."

"William," she said as she rolled her eyes.

I laughed. "Yes, William." I shook my head in disdain which in turn made her laugh. "Maxwell was with his maker during that time. She was the most beautiful woman in the land … so they say. I never had the pleasure of meeting her. She was killed during her daytime rest by a human man that she'd taken into her home. I helped Maxwell in getting the revenge that he wanted. There have been times when he's helped me. He and I were what I would have considered friends. I believed him to be trustworthy. I was mistaken." I looked at her. "That is why this treachery is shocking to me, Sookie."

She leaned in and kissed my cheek before returning to her previous position. "I'm sorry that this has happened to you." Her eyes then widened. "I have been so rude to you. Gran would have a conniption fit if she was here right now. Please forgive me." She jumped up from the couch and ran to the kitchen. I heard the refrigerator open and her little feet padding back across the room. Showing me the blood that she had in her hand, she asked, "Would you like one? I can pop it in the microwave for you if you'd like."

I smiled as I shook my head no.

Her face fell. Whispering, she asked, "Have you already fed?"

"I have not."

"Okay," she said as she returned it to the refrigerator. Joy strummed through her as she came back to sit with me. "I'm so sorry about that. I'm usually a better hostess. Umm, are you hungry? I can feed you if you are." She tilted her head to the side as to offer me her neck. "If you are …"

To the gods I wanted to, I wanted to feed from her and make love to her. I wanted all of her. Every inch of her but now is not the time. "I would love to taste you, Sookie, but that is not why I came here tonight."

"I know. I just should've offered when you first arrived. Gran would be so mad at me for losing my manners." She shook her head in annoyance at her slight. "Oh, yeah. I have something to tell you. I found something out tonight from my dad. I went to the police station to see him after I left the restaurant." She told me about the man and the woman that had made themselves comfortable in my child's home. The woman could have been the Dawn Greene that Thalia was speaking of earlier but I haven't a clue who the man is.

"Did your father describe the woman to you? Do you believe it possible to be Dawn Greene?"

"It's possible that she's the one that was at Pam's house this morning. I'm going to go to the police station tomorrow morning and see if Detective Bellefleur will tell me anything. And if he doesn't," she said. "I'm going to have to use some of that old Stackhouse charm." A disgusted look appeared on her face. "I hate shaking his hand. He has the sweatiest palms."

"Do you believe that he will help you?"

She nodded. "I do. He's always been a good friend to my dad and if he doesn't, there's always a way around it. A handshake will show me all that I need to know. I'm not worried about him not helping us. He's just bad with faces. For the longest time, he used to call me Jeanie because I look like his cousin on his mom's side. She has red hair, green eyes, and freckles. She's mighty pale and very tall and thin with bucked teeth. Several people have told him that we look nothing alike but he swears that we do. Go figure. I've always wondered how he became a cop." She scrunched her nose up at me as she smiled. And just like that, the playful look was gone from her face. Worry began to course through the bond. She looked as if she had something to say but she wasn't sure if she should.

"Tell me what bothers you," I replied.

"I don't want to make this about me."

"Tell me."

"Me," she said as she chuckled. "Does Maxwell know about me … what I can do? I know that I never told him. I didn't know whether you or Pam told him because you trusted him so much. Not that I would blame you if you did. I just want to know so that if anything ever comes up, I'll be prepared."

"He does not," I assured her. "Only Pam and I know. The other vampires just know that you are mine."

"Good," she said as she yawned again. "That's good." She removed this ugly green and blue afghan from the back of the couch and spread it out over her legs. She then did something that I never expected. She rested her head on my lap. "Tell the truth. You really came over to check on me, didn't you? I think that you wanted to check me since there's a vampire that's been outside of my apartment building since I came home."

I laughed heartily at her comment. "You are quite right," I confessed. I touched the afghan as I frowned at it. "You know that is the ugliest thing I've ever seen."

She didn't even ask what I was speaking of as she laughed. She automatically knew. "I think that it's beautiful." She snuggled deeper into the comfort of the afghan and my lap. "My gran made it a very long time ago. She wasn't too crazy about it either but because it was the first one that she'd ever made, she kept it. She didn't like it so I took it. It's not so bad if you _really_ look at it without looking at the surface. It's soft and comforting. The colors blend well and my gran made it with her own two hands." She looked up at me and said, "To me, it's beautiful. I see what others don't see."

Without thinking, I leaned down and kissed her. It was sensuous and devastatingly soothing. The feel of her warm lips against mine made me feel almost alive. I closed my eyes and melted into her. And I didn't want to let her go. For the first time, I felt content and at ease. I didn't feel that I had to be on alert or worry about those that needed me … even if just for a moment. I knew that the feeling wasn't going to last but it felt nice to have for just a fleeting second.

She smiled against my lips as she slowly pulled away from me. "I like feeling you," she whispered. "I don't feel so lonely anymore."

"Neither do I," I whispered. I caressed her hair as I looked down at her. "How long have you been able to feel me?"

"It happened the day after we shared blood," she said. "I woke up and I could feel you all around me. You were so close to me that I thought that I could reach out and touch you even though you weren't there. It is a really nice feeling." She gazed up at me with a smile in her eyes. "Will you stay until I fall asleep?"

"I will."

She kissed me once more before closing her eyes. "Goodnight, Eric."

And within minutes, she was sleeping. I carefully carried her to her room. Once I'd removed her robe, I placed her under the covers and tucked her in. I removed the notebook that she had on her and I noticed that she'd already begun listing off suspects. I noticed that each suspect was someone that was at the scene before I'd arrived. I also noticed that Bill was on the list. I chuckled as I put the notebook on her nightstand. I leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Sookie," I whispered. "I'll see you tomorrow tonight."

"Okay," she said. "Goodnight. Take the spare key in the drawer by the door. I want you to have it." With that said, she was sleeping once again.

I blurred from her room and stared down at the side table that sat by the door. I opened it and there it was. The key. There was a piece of paper sitting next to it that read my name … Eric's key. I had a key. She'd given me a key to her home. My heart swelled with admiration as I put the key on my ring as I prepared to leave. Just as I'd locked and secured her apartment, my cell phone began to ring. It was Thalia. "What do you know?"

"We've found one," she said. "We've found a vampire. He was lurking in the woods out behind Pam's home this evening. He looked lost and was covered in dirt and blood … Were blood. He must have gone to ground close by. I'm not sure of what he knows but I'm questioning him now. Before anything happens, I'll wait for you. We're at Fangtasia."

Fury swept through me as I walked swiftly to the elevator. "I'm on my way."

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Thalia had the vampire hanging from the ceiling. It was nothing elaborate. His wrists and ankles were wrapped in silver and he was just hanging there. There were bloody tears streaking along his cheeks. I stared at the vampire and wondered why he was crying. There were no visible signs of torture … other than the silver roping wrapped around his wrists and ankles. I didn't say a word as I looked to Thalia for an explanation.

"I guess I've scared him a little," she volunteered. "I may have said a few things that have put him on edge. I didn't think that he'd start bawling like a baby. I assumed that he could handle a little preview of what could possibly happen to him." She was doing her best to hide her amusement at the vampire's discomfort and fear but she failed miserably. "This is the first time I've ever had this happen." She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head in utter disbelief. "I kind of like it."

Though it pleased me to see her happy, I needed answers. "What does he know?"

She shook her as she answered me. "Nothing. Whenever I ask him a question, he gives me his name and the year that he was made vampire. He will tell you that he took Pam because he wanted to. He will tell you that it was just something that he needed to do. Go on, ask him something."

I stood in front of our prisoner. "Who is your employer?"

"My name is Donovan and I was made vampire in 1983. I took Pam because I wanted to. I just felt the need to take her. She is mine now. It was something that I had to do."

"Told ya," she said. "Ask another. An easy one."

"As a vampire, we have makers. Who is yours?"

He stared into my eyes and repeated. "My name is Donovan and I was made vampire in 1983. I took Pam because I wanted to. I just felt the need to take her. She is mine now. It was something that I had to do."

Thalia was standing next to me when she spoke again. "Only a maker can make another vampire behave like this." She lifted Donovan's chin and stared at his face. "Before tonight, have you ever seen him around?"

"I have not," I replied.

"Maxwell has no children."

"None."

She held Donovan's hand in hers. She studied his fingernails and the palms of his hands. "He didn't kill or take anyone," she said as she looked up at me. "He's just here to throw us off."

Using my head to point at Donovan, I asked, "Do you know of his maker?"

Thalia laughed outright as she said no. She looked at Donovan and asked, "Is your maker the one that did this to you?"

Donovan's face was blank as he answered her question. "My name is Donovan and I was made vampire in 1983. I took Pam because I wanted to. I just felt the need to take her. She is mine now. It was something that I had to do."

"What do I do with him?" Thalia asked. The disinterest in her voice was profound. "I don't want to torture him. It would be no fun. He knows nothing but I do have something else for you … once we're done with this." A look of distaste appeared on her face as she looked at Donovan.

"Kill him," I said.

She sighed. "I knew that you were going to say that. I do agree with you. I guess that is the humane thing to do since he has no earthly clue as to what is going on in this world." And that's what she did. She took the knife from the tray that was next to him and that was that. He exploded into nothing.

We both looked at our feet as the remains of Donovan landed on our shoes. I began to shake the remains of Donovan from my shoes as I asked, "What else do you have for me?"

"Come," she said.

I followed Thalia up the stairs and into Pam's office. The scent of her filled my nostrils. For the first time in over three hundred years, I would have to go a night without having my child by my side. I wasn't going to have to hear her complaining about the vermin and how much they irritate her. I wasn't going to have to hear how she hated dressing like Morticia Addams. I wasn't going to see her smile at me as I walked into her office. And I missed that. Maxwell and his employer will pay dearly for what they have done.

Thalia sat at Pam's desk and turned on the computer. "I tried to get into your office so that we could do this there but your door was locked." She placed a disc in the drive and clicked play. "This is from a neighbor's house … the guy that lives across the street. Guinevere met with him tonight. He … allowed her to have access to his surveillance equipment. This is what she found."

Cloaked men in black surrounded the front of Pam's home. They were holding weapons and they were moving with precision and finesse. They were professionals of the highest caliber. They moved around the outside of Pam's house without stumbling … tripping … falling. Five of them went inside. The others continued to surround her home. "They are well prepared," I said as I studied the video. "They appear to know every inch of her home. Humans?"

"Humans," she confirmed. "I couldn't believe it either. Anyway, I think that Maxwell killed Pam's humans; the ones within the house, her most loyal. Once she was locked inside her room, he did what he needed to do. Those humans that were outside of her house, they are the ones that laid in wait for the Weres to arrive. Guinevere found silver and wooden bullets within the piles of vampire corpses as well as the Were bodies. Why and how they were ripped apart, I don't know. That appeared to just be overkill. Poor dogs."

I crossed my arms over my chest as I continued to stare at the screen. Pam and Maxwell didn't emerge from the front door. I'm not too surprised at that fact. Maxwell wouldn't want to be seen. It seemed that we stared at the screen for hours until we privy to what happened next. The police officer that Sookie knows was standing on the front porch of Pam's house. And just as Sookie's father said, a man in a robe answered the door.

Thalia and I leaned closer to the screen. "Do you know him?" she asked.

"I have never seen him before tonight."

She glanced at me over her shoulder. "I know that he's not a lover of hers."

"He is not," I confirmed.

She reached to the right of her and handed me a picture. "This is him," she said. "I've made copies and passed them out to the sheriffs. My children have them as well. He will be found, old friend. Fear not."

I laughed. "I fear nothing."

She spun around in the chair and asked, "What is going on, Eric?"

"I don't know." I repeat. I hate those three words more than any words in the English language. But all was not lost. "Tomorrow, we will begin our hunt for our enemy. And we will kill them."

Thalia's fangs ran down as she stood. "I am with you. No mercy?"

"No mercy."


	21. Chapter 21

**21**

 **Donuts, Anyone?**

 **Hello, all! I apologize for the delay in posting the chapter but I had to work. Work. Work. Work. I hope that y'all enjoy it. I will do my best to have the next chapter posted soon. I can't make any promises but I will do my best to get it done. I want to thank each of you for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and alerting to my story. And I thank you for making me a favorite author. My appreciation for each of you knows no bounds. Enjoy and have and wonderful week.**

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"Sookie!"

"Hey, she brought coffee and donuts!"

"How have you been?"

"Sweet!"

"My God, you've grown into a beautiful young lady!" The older gentleman gripped by my shoulders and stared at me. He leaned in and kissed my cheek.

I was shocked at David's comment. He was a regular at Merlotte's on Tuesdays and Thursdays. _And_ he just saw me last week at the Pick n' Sav. He needed to borrow a dollar because he didn't bring enough money into the store. Why was he acting as if he hasn't seen me since I was five? "I just saw you, David."

He cocked his head to the side and smiled. "You have grown into a beautiful young lady."

I shook my head and laughed. "Okay," I replied.

"Are those donuts?" someone else asked.

"I hope that she brought some of the strawberry cheesecake crème filled ones. Those are my favorite."

"Where have you been hiding yourself? You don't come around like you used to."

"Working," I answered.

My dad's co-workers greeted me cheerfully and sweetly as I walked into the police station. They've always known what to say to make me smile. I've known most of them since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some of them used to find me a bit strange when I was a child but it didn't matter. They've always liked me. I've never once heard a negative thing about me in their minds.

Suddenly, an unclear mind was standing next to me. There were snarls and colors but no words. His mind was like Sam's only a bit different. He didn't have a shifter mind. Sam's mind is filled with colors but not this guy. His was darker. There was no comfort or resolve there. There was more to him and he wasn't willing to show what it was. "Hi," he said as he smiled down at me.

I glanced at the young man to my left and smiled. "Hi," I replied.

His mind bothered me. I wanted to know what he is but I kept quiet. His fellow police officers are unaware that he's different. I can see it. He hasn't told them and I feel that he has no intentions of ever telling them. Maybe he's not going to be around for too much longer or maybe he just feels that it's no one's business. Either way, I don't like him. His mind is too dark. He has many secrets. And for the first time in a very long time, I've found someone that scares me. He scares me to my very core.

As I inched away from him, I smiled at my dad's friends. "You're only saying those nice things because you see these four boxes of Duck Donuts in my hands." I shook my head in mock disappointment. "I wish that I knew what you guys really thought of me."

"You know that we love you," Kirby yelled out. "Especially when you bring Duck Donuts."

"The coffee doesn't hurt either, Sook," Roger yelled out jokingly as he stood behind me carrying the hot drinks. "Black?"

"Just like you like it," I commented. "And there's hot chocolate."

Cops were grabbing coffee trays from Roger's hand as he stood there smiling. He was enjoying the looks on their faces. From what I've heard from my dad, Roger hasn't seen many good days lately. And I could see in his mind, that my dad was right.

"Hey," I said as I looked at Roger. "Thanks."

He nodded slightly as he grinned.

"Where are the compliments now?" I laughed as I watched my dad's co-workers began sipping at their cups of hot coffee and chocolate.

"I think that you're gorgeous," the cop (some type of shifter, maybe?) said to me.

"Thank you," I said as I looked up at him. He had the look of the all-American guy. You've all met the type. He's so sweet with that beautiful smile. Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. Gorgeous pansy colored eyes. Muscular body. Extremely tall. Says all the right things but thinks something entirely different. The very ones that you're always warned of. "So," I said to no one in particular. "Where's my dad?"

I know that I'm lying but cut me some slack. I knew that he wasn't going to be there but what was I supposed to do? I had to get in there to see Andy some kind of way. I don't make it habit of lying but today had to be an exception to the rule.

"His shifts have changed," Alcee Beck said. "He won't be in until tonight … unless he's calls in."

I looked around once again. "Where's Andy? He's usually here at the desk?" I frowned. "He isn't pretending to be sick again so that he can go on another fishing trip, is he?"

Keisha laughed. "After getting caught the last time, I doubt that he will do that again."

Everyone started to laugh. Even the tall, bald cop. "So," I called out. "Where do you guys want these donuts? I can take them to the break room."

"No!" everyone yelled out at once as they reached for them. Pansy eyes beat them to it.

"Let me take these from you," he offered. He smiled at me as he put them on the desk.

"I appreciate that." I smiled him once again and asked everyone, "Donuts, anyone?"

The boxes were soon open and donuts were floating around the room. Powder, crumbs, and chocolate smears were everywhere. The pristine officers from earlier were gone. I'm so glad that the servers put my dad's cronuts in the bottom box. "Don't touch the cronuts," I yelled over the groans and moans of the donut eaters. "Those are my dad's favorites. If any of you eat them, I'm sure he'll catch a couple of charges."

Kevin, with a mouth filled with strawberry donut, nodded. "He hit me pretty hard that day when I took a sample bite." He began to rub on his arm; leaving powder on the sleeve as he did so. "I'll never do that again."

I laughed.

Officer Baldy was eating a plain donut and still staring at me.

"Hey, Sookie."

I turned to see Andy walking in with a cuffed drunk hanging on his side. "Hey, Andy. How have you been?"

He pointed at the drunk and said, "Other than having to keep Otis off the streets for disorderly conduct, I'm doing great. What brings you down here?" Otis began to lose his footing. "Hold on one minute, Sookie. Let me get Mr. Whiskey here in the drunk tank and I'll be right back. Go on in my office. I'll be right in. And hey, did you …"

"Get your favorite donuts," I finished. "The coconut crème. I got you three of them. I can never forget you, Andy. You know that."

He beamed from ear to ear. "I'll be right back."

When I reached for the unopened box of donuts, I had to ask the young man with the snarly thoughts to step aside. I could feel him watching me as I walked to Andy's office. And he made me feel uncomfortable. I glanced at him over my shoulder and he was still staring at me … watching me. I tried once more to get into his head but the snarls and darkness kept me out. Most very tall and very handsome young man are appealing … especially if they have violet colored eyes but this guy? He made my skin crawl. To escape from his gaze, I hightailed it to Andy's office. Unfortunately, I bumped right into him.

Placing his hands on my arms, Andy said, "Hey. Are you alright?"

I glanced behind me and the guy was gone. I looked up at Andy and nodded. "I sure am. Come on. Let's eat a couple of these donuts."

"Gladly." Andy took the box from me and walked to his desk.

I was left with the task of closing the door behind us. "Who's the new guy?" I asked as I sat down. "I've never seen him here." I could see that Andy didn't think to highly of the new guy. "What's his deal?"

"Don't know," he said as he took a donut from the box. "I just know that I don't like him. I don't trust him, Sook. There's something about that guy and it rubs me the wrong way. He was transferred here from Mississippi or Tennessee … somewhere like that. He could be from Timbuktu for all I know. No one told me about no damned transfers. I didn't even know that we had openings and I'm the sheriff."

I knew that the guy wasn't there but I looked over my shoulder once again. "What's his name?"

"Quinn, I think," he answered. He shook his head no. "Don't get involved with that one, Sook. It would be a waste of time. He's not good enough for you."

My face filled with happiness at his words. "Thanks, Andy, but I assure you. I'm not interested in him."

"Good. You can do so much better." He soon bit into his donut and closed his eyes. "My God," he moaned. "I love Duck Donuts. These are the best donuts I've ever eaten."

Smiling, I said, "That's why I got them for you. Don't eat the cronuts."

"Your dad would have a fit if someone ate his cronuts," he finished. "Your mom has him on another diet. Why is she always putting him on a diet? The man has the body of that guy called Joe Mango or something like that." Pointing at me with his half-eaten donut, he said, "You need to tell that woman to give the man a break."

I chuckled as I looked down at my hands. "I'll do that." I looked up at him and sighed; doing my best to hide my uneasiness because of his words.

As I said, Andy has never been extremely observant. He didn't notice. "So," he said as he chewed and swallowed the best donut he'd ever eaten. "What can I do you for?"

I'd rehearsed our entire conversation in my head last night and this morning. I'd had the entire thing planned. It didn't exactly go as I thought it would. "You went to a house yesterday and a guy answered the door. He was wearing a robe. Do you remember what he looked like?"

Andy frowned at me. "Which house, Sookie? I went to several homes yesterday and the guys were wearing robes. Most of them were dirty and smelled of beer. You need to narrow it down a bit for old Andy." He ate the last bite of his donut and moaned again. Very loudly.

"On St. Francis Road," I clarified.

He continued to frown as he licked his lips.

I scooted to the edge of my seat. "There was shooting there earlier that morning."

He leaned back in his chair as he appeared to be thinking over what I'd said. He tapped his finger to his chin as he thought of yesterday. Andy, still frowning, rested his elbows on his desk. He began to nibble on his bottom lip. He decided to stop doing that and took another donut from the box. He still appeared to be thinking about what I'd said as he bit and chewed.

"Come on, Andy," I said. "I talked to dad last night and he told me that you answered the call. This is very important to me."

He took another bite of the donut before placing it on his notebook. "Why?" he asked as coconut flakes and crème covered his lips.

"I was supposed to have been there that morning, Andy," I said. I know. Another lie. "My friend has no man that lives in her house. She lives alone. No man was supposed to answer her door. She's out of town and I'm housesitting for her."

Andy licked his lips and gulped down the donut. He washed what was lodged in his throat down with some lukewarm coffee that had been sitting on his desk. He put the bitten donut back in the box and began flipping through his notebook. He stopped and read over a page. "Do you mean 1785 St. Francis Road? The ranch style home with the pink hydrangeas in the front yard?"

"Yes," I said. I didn't even try to hide the surprise in my voice. I couldn't believe that he remembered in such vivid detail. "You remember?"

"Yeah, I do." He leaned back in his chair. He lifted his notebook and said, "I made it a point to take notes. That guy, he didn't sit well with me. He didn't fit in there." He chuckled. "He thought that he was fooling me. He was wearing a robe but I could see that he was wearing combat boots. I could even see his tie peeking from under the top of the robe. Why were you supposed to be there? Housesitting, you said? Does your dad know this?"

I nodded. "Yeah. My friend, she's gone out of town to visit family and I'm supposed to go there during the day and feed her cat. No man is supposed to be there."

"You know," he said, as he took another sip of coffee. "Me and Kevin went back to the house about an hour later. As I said, that guy didn't sit right with me. When we went back, the house was quiet and locked up. We went around back to check the doors and windows but it was locked tight. No one was there. I talked to a couple of neighbors and they said that a guy is usually there but only at night. A tall blond. The guy that I'd seen, he wasn't blond … not quite."

Again, I was surprised. "Do you remember what he looked like?"

"Kinda," he said as he shrugged his shoulders. "He was a big guy with dark black hair. It looked dyed. He had green eyes and he was pale. He was so pale that he was almost the color of a sheet of paper." He chuckled again. "I think that's why I remember him so well. He looked out of place and he looked different. If it had been nighttime, I would have thought that the guy was a vampire."

Almost sliding to the floor, I scooted closer to the edge of my seat. "Did you get his name?"

"No," he answered. "I asked but he just laughed. He said that he couldn't give me his name. He couldn't risk his wife finding out that he had a side piece. Whatever that … oh. I get it now." He slapped his desk and laughed outright. "He's cheating on her."

I couldn't believe my ears.

"That sly devil." Andy continued to laugh.

"Andy, stay focused."

"Right," he agreed. "I didn't get his name."

I slid back in my seat and sighed. "I don't get why he was there. Nothing bad happened to her home, did it? I haven't been back there because it scared me to know that some guy had been there and I didn't know anything about him."

Andy waved off my comment. "From what I could see, it looked good but to be on the safe side, don't go there alone. I can go with you or either you can get Jason to keep you company."

I crossed my legs and said, "No. That's okay. Maybe I should go and speak with her neighbors to see if they know of anything."

"Already talked to them," he commented. "I talked to the person that called in about hearing gun fire early that morning. She said that she believed it to be the Donaldson boys again but it wasn't their normal firecracker noise. She claimed to be calling from under her bed."

To throw him off, I laughed. "It does sound a bit ridiculous since no one else heard anything, right?"

"Right," he said as he reached for his half-eaten donut. "Not a sound. I would think that if there was any type of gunfire, the other neighbors would have heard it."

"So, they heard nothing?" I asked. "Nothing at all?"

"They heard something but they weren't sure of what it was that they'd heard," he clarified. "One guy said that he thought that he'd heard the grumbling of motorcycles. The lady next door to him said that she'd heard something that sounded like a car backfiring." He shook his head. "Who knows?"

I wanted to scream at him and say that he's supposed to know. I wanted to ask him how in the world he'd become sheriff. I wanted to suggest that he stepped down from his job and give it to someone that could do the job. I wanted to tell him to promote my dad to sheriff but I didn't do that. Instead, I stood from my seat and sighed. I pointed at the donut box. "Make sure that my dad gets his cronuts, will you?"

"Will do," he promised. He was sucking the coconut and crème from his fingertips. I didn't even see him put the donut in his mouth.

I shook my head at him and chuckled. How can you not love him? I looked down at him and said, "Don't eat all of those donuts, Andy. You know that Ms. Bellefleur is going to be highly upset if you don't have enough room for her fancy Yankee pot roast tonight."

He looked confused. "Did I tell you that?"

No.

"Yeah," I answered. "You said that you can't wait to eat that pot roast."

He began to nod and shrug his shoulders.

"Is she making fried apples and homemade biscuits?"

"Yep," he said as he reached for the last coconut crème donut. As he bit into the donut, he said, "Don't worry. I'll leave room."

I walked around to the other side of Andy's desk and kissed his cheek. "Don't forget to make dad a plate for lunch tomorrow. You know how much he loves Ms. Bellefleur's pot roast. Oh, and be sure to add some of those baby red potatoes that he likes."

"I always do."

I winked at him. "And no one will know. I won't tell mom if you don't."

"I won't say a word."

"I'll see you," I said.

"Not unless I see you first."

I laughed as I left his office.

As I walked out of the police station, everyone said their thank yous and goodbyes. They loved the coffee and the donuts … especially the donuts. They wanted me to come back next week for a visit but I couldn't forget the donuts.

"Bring enough cronuts for everyone next time," Kevin suggested.

"I'd really like one of those caramel lattes," Keisha commented.

Other suggestions and recommendations were soon made by all. I waved at everyone over my head as I made a mental note of what to bring on my next visit. They could have asked me for eight dozen of donuts and fifty cups of coffee and I would get them. They're like family to me.

When I'd reached my car, I found that I wasn't alone. Officer Baldy was standing next to it and he was smiling at me. I was frowning when I reached him. "How did you …?"

"I sniffed you out," he answered. "I'm Quinn. John Quinn."

"Pleased to meet you," I replied.

He stood there and stared at me for a long moment. I knew what he was waiting for and I wasn't going to tell him. What would be the point? He already knows who I am.

"Don't look so surprised, Sookie," he said.

"I'm not surprised," I assured him.

Ignoring me, he said, "Don't look so surprised. You know that I'm not human just as I know that you're not human."

Why wouldn't he just walk away and leave me alone?

"So," he began. "Are you free for lunch?"

"No."

He looked around the parking lot before looking at me. "You appear to be free."

"I'm not." I looked around for Jake and he was nowhere to be seen.

He nodded. He closed his eyes and inhaled. "You belong to a vampire?"

I just stared at him. I wished that I had my pepper spray and taser in my hand. And Jake. Where was Jake?

He inhaled again. "The Northman." He stepped towards me. "He's an old vampire in these parts. Are you his?"

"Yes," I whispered. It took every ounce of willpower that I had not to sprint back into the police station. His mind was blacker than it was. He was a lot scarier than I could have ever imagined. "I have to go." I tried to step around him but he moved in front of me.

"What's the big hurry?" he asked. "I've heard a lot about you and I'd like to get to know you. The other officers seem to really like you. I'd like to get to know you better."

I shook my head no. "I'm not interested. Now move away from my car."

He reached out to touch me and I smacked his hand away. He snarled.

"Don't touch me," I said. "Don't you ever try to touch me again. You will regret it."

His menacing smile matched his eyes and his mind. "You don't know …"

"Sookie."

I turned around to see the waitress from Crawdad's Diner running up behind me. Excuse my language but what in the hell was going on today? Did I have a target on my back or something?

She was waving at me and she was smiling. Though I don't know her, I'd never been happier to see a stranger before in my life. "I'm so sorry that I'm late," she said when she reached me. She leaned in and kissed my cheek. "I had to run into the bank to get some money and I saw you over here by your car. I hope that you're not leaving." She pointed at the Applebee's across the street. "I'm sorry that I'm late. Please tell me that we're still on for lunch. Are we still having lunch? We can walk over … or drive. Whichever you want to do." She smiled as she patted her bottom. "We might have to walk over. I'm know that I'm going to have to walk back to my car after eating an order of those baby back ribs with that extra sweet chili sauce. I love that stuff."

I glanced at Quinn and he was no longer at ease. He looked mighty uncomfortable if you want to know the truth about it. He also looked furious.

"Yeah," I answered. "Yeah, we're still on but I'm not sure about walking. I don't want to leave my car over here. I just came by the station to bring my dad and his friends some donuts and coffee since I was here in town." I glanced at Quinn once more. "I was going to wait in my car for you but I had company waiting on me when I got out here. He was doing his best to try and get me to go to lunch with him." I chuckled nervously as I stared at the waitress. "I tried telling him that I wasn't free but didn't want to take no for an answer."

The waitress's brown eyes were no longer smiling as she stared at Quinn. "One would think that he'd know better considering he's a police officer. Quinn should be able to take no as an answer. Isn't that right, Quinn?"

How did she know his name?

Quinn began to back away. Staring at me, he said, "I meant no harm. I just wanted to get to know her. That's all."

"Good day, Officer," she said.

He saluted us as he turned and walked away. Smiling. He was still smiling.

She continued to look after him as he faded into the building.

"Thanks," I said once we were alone. "I appreciate your …"

She soon had a killer grip on my arm as she pulled me into her body. "We need to talk."


	22. Chapter 22

**22**

 **My Faery Godmother, the B Word …**

 **Hi everyone. Here's chapter 22. I hope that y'all enjoy it. I know that some of y'all are anxious for Eric and Sookie to bond and I promise, we are going to get there soon. I just don't want to rush it. It won't be too much longer. I'd also like to apologize for the time in between the posting of the chapters. I have an even larger caseload. There are have been so many cutbacks at the office and I'm getting more and more cases. Please, bear with me and I will post as often as I can. I've completed chapter 23 and once I've edited it, I will post it. Anyway, thank y'all for reading, reviewing, alerting, and making this story a favorite.**

 **As always, the story idea is mine but these wonderful characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

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The waitress and I were in the Applebee's parking lot sitting my car staring each other down as I rubbed my upper arm. I thought that her fingerprints were going to embedded in my skin. She'd had a killer grip on my forearm. I can only guess that Eric's blood kept that from happening. I wanted to punch her in the nose but the kicks that I gave to her shin didn't affect her so I figured an uppercut wouldn't do much good either. As I stared at her, I wondered who she was and who employed her. I wondered why she saved me from Quinn. I wondered how she knew Quinn. I wondered where Jake was. I then began to wonder why I was sitting in the car with her. A complete and total stranger was sitting my car with me and I hadn't decked her. The same stranger that my dad and I were leery of at Crawdad's was sitting in my car. It then dawned on me that I could hurt her. The kicks didn't hurt her but I knew that my weapons would and they were just an arm's length away. My weapons were in the dashboard. Without fear or concern, I reached across her and opened it.

Nothing.

I glared at her as I sat upright in my seat. "Where are they?"

"I've hidden them," she said. "I couldn't let you do to me what you and your dad did at the restaurant. That was not a very nice thing to do, if I may add." She shook her head in disappointment.

"I should kill you," I growled.

She didn't seem the least bit frightened by my words. "But you won't," she said … with a smile.

Instead of replying to her, I studied her face. She is quite beautiful. Dark brown hair. Almond shaped, jade green colored eyes. She was tall and slender. To be honest, she is beautiful. She has a beautiful outside but I wasn't too sure about her insides. I know that she saved me from Quinn but why? Was she saving me so that she could cause harm to me? Why was she following me, anyway? And I have another question. Why in the heck am I still sitting in my car with her?

I got out of the car and slammed the door. I could not believe that this was happening. This could not be happening. Not to me. Not today. I had other things that I needed to take care of. I didn't have time to deal with some psycho police officer that was harassing me or some waitress that just so happened to be around when the psycho police officer was harassing me. I threw my arms out in frustration. "I don't have time for this today." I turned around to see the waitress standing at the trunk of my car staring at me. "I don't have time for this today. Don't get me wrong," I said as I walked towards her. "I appreciate how you just so happened to be around when I needed you. I really do but why? Why are you here? Why are you following me? Why did you save me from Quinn? And how did you even know his name?" I stopped in front of the stranger and sighed. "And where's Jake? He was supposed to be waiting for me when I left the station."

The waitress began to laugh. "You're funny, Sookie."

I don't know why but I was soon sitting on the trunk of my car next to the waitress. "I'm glad that you find my distress humorous. It's always been my goal to make you laugh but not today. Today, I just want to know what's going on. Can you tell me that? Will you tell me why you're following me?"

The waitress crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the car. "Yes, I can tell you that. I'm Claudine. I'm your faery godmother."

Was she serious? Was she playing games with me?

"My faery godmother?" I asked.

"Yes," she said.

I began to laugh. And I couldn't stop. She couldn't be real. There was no way in the world she was serious. This entire conversation wasn't taking place. I was going to wake up and I was going to be able to start this entire day all over. I was going to do everything differently. Instead of coming to the police station, I was going to call Andy and have him meet me for lunch at Applebee's. I was going to ask him questions over jalapeno poppers with ranch dressing. I would never have to meet Quinn and I wouldn't be sitting on my car in the parking lot of Applebee's talking to a woman that believes she's my faery godmother. I'd decided that I was going to close my eyes and pinch myself. The entire day was going to be nothing more than a dream. So, that's what I did. I closed my eyes and pinched my arm as hard as I could.

I opened one eye and I was still sitting on my car and Claudine the faery godmother was still standing next to me. I closed my eyes again and pinched just a bit harder. "Shoot," I whispered as I peeped once again. "I'm not sleeping."

"You're not sleeping, Sookie."

I opened my eyes fully to see Claudine staring at me … smiling. I pinched myself again as I stared at her. She was right. I wasn't sleeping. I sighed once more. "Okay. What do you want?"

"I want to help you," she said. "I'm only here to help you."

"Why?" Suspicion was clearly on my face. "Why do you want to help me? You don't even know me. And after what you did at Crawdad's, I'm not sure …"

She turned to face me. "What exactly did I do at Crawdad's to make you suspicious of me? Did I say something? Was it the way that I was staring at you? Was I threatening in any way to you and your dad? Tell me, Sookie. What did I do to make you suspicious of me?"

"First off," I began. And that's all that I could say. I didn't know what she'd done. I was basing my feelings off of what my dad said. He said that she was different. He couldn't tell if she was water or sky fae. I just know that he didn't like her colors. He said that there was something off about her and he was right ... I think. The only other possibility was that she was of the water fae and they are not friends of ours. Grandpa has always said that they are not to be trusted. He says that they are our enemies. And if my grandpa says so, then it's true. "You're of the water fae. You don't like our kind. My dad didn't trust you so I didn't trust you."

She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at me. "I should beat you senseless for calling me a water fae. I don't mean to sound like a snob but I have never been nor will I ever be of the water fae clan. I have never associated with anyone from the water fae clan. They are beneath us. I am sky fae through and through. We share a grandfather. He's my grandfather but he's your great, great grandfather. We are of the same blood, Cousin. I will cause you no harm. You have my word and you have my sword."

"Your sword? Why would I want your sword?"

"Yes, my sword," she answered with a smile. "It means that I will fight for you."

Her simple smile almost made me believe her. The softness in her eyes was welcoming. Almost too welcoming and because of it, I _almost_ believed her. "Why are you here?"

"To save you," she answered. "You're my ward, Sookie. My grandfather sent me to watch over you. He wants to make sure that you are kept safe. Things would not go well if harm came to you. Grandfather would be very unhappy."

"Niall?" I whispered.

She smiled as she nodded her head. "Yes."

"How does he know of me?"

She giggled. "He just knows and because he knows, he wants you to be protected at all times."

"Why?"

"You're a Brigant, Sookie," she answered. "You are of the royal family. You have our protection. There is no reason for you to have to fear for your life or your safety. I'm here to make sure of that."

I didn't trust it. They must want something in return. If it doesn't make sense to me, something isn't right. "Why?" I asked again. "He doesn't know me, Claudine."

"It doesn't matter. It's Grandfather. He wants to keep you safe."

"Who's protecting you?"

She laughed as if that was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. "I am a full-blooded faery, Sookie. I don't need protection, silly girl. I _am_ a deadly weapon."

"Fair," I answered. I've seen my grandpa fight. Faeries are vicious creatures but so am I. "For your information. I'm not weak. My grandfather has taught me how to take care of myself. I'm proficient with quite a few weapons and my dad has trained me when it comes to using firearms. I am a great shot. I can hit head and chest shots from fifty-feet away, thank you very much. When I'm on full alert, I can take care of myself."

Claudine laid back on the trunk of my car. She crossed her arms behind her head and stared up at the sky. "I know that. I know everything about you. I know that you need to keep your weapons on you always. You can't just leave them in your car. You're putting yourself in danger. You can't keep making mistakes like that. You're a part of this world now. Stupid mistakes will get you killed. You're smarter than that. And I know that you were at the police station and you felt safe. You weren't."

"Quinn?" I asked as I turned to look at her.

"Quinn," she repeated. "He's a were-tiger and he works for vampires or anyone for that matter. If the price is good, he'll take the job. He does their dirty work for them. Someone has hired him and put him here. I don't know who but I'll find out. You're not alone, Sookie."

I leaned back on the car with her and stared at the same sky. "What else do you know about me, Claudine?"

"I know that your mom is afraid of you," she said. "She doesn't want to be but she doesn't understand you, Sookie. She loves you. She just doesn't know it yet. She's a sad lady if you think about it. She doesn't realize what she's missing." She began to shake her head. "She accepts your father but not you. She is accepting of his differences but not yours. I don't understand that. It puzzles me."

Claudine was telling me things that I was already aware of. "Thanks for the insight," I said sarcastically.

She chuckled. "You're funny, Sookie."

I looked at her and asked, "Why do you keep saying my name?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I like it. It's different. Sookie. Sookie. I like how it rolls off my tongue. Sookie. It's a beautiful name. It suits you, Sookie." She was grinning as she looked at me.

I slowly turned away from her and returned my gaze to the sky. "Where's Jake?"

"He's patrolling the grounds," she answered. "He got a whiff of something and he took off not too long before you came of out of the station. He's being a good doggie." Before I could ask if he's okay, she replied. "He's okay. I can hear him."

"Good," I said.

"Do you like this new world, Sookie?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"It's an accepting world to a certain degree."

"It is," I agreed.

"You fit in," she said as she looked at me.

"I know."

"Others will want you once they find out who and what you are. Your gift of mind reading will give them ultimate power. They will do and say things to try and make you distrust those that you love and trust."

"I know," I whispered.

"Your family will be at their mercy."

I inhaled deeply as her words hit my heart. "I know."

"Your life is no longer your own."

I didn't say anything.

"Do you freely accept who and what you are?"

I could still feel her eyes on me. "I do," I answered. "I always have. I like that I'm different. I don't want to be like everyone else. I love being me." I looked at her and said, "I pity those that don't like me. I don't mean that to sound conceited. They don't know what they're missing. I have so much to offer them as a person and friend. I have grand sense of humor according to you."

"Yes, you do." She smiled at me before returning her gaze to the sky. "He accepts you."

I knew instantly of whom she was speaking. "He does." My heart began to thud in my chest as I felt his blood coursing through my veins.

"Are you in love with the vampire?"

I didn't expect that and I didn't trust it. "Why do you care?"

She giggled. "I don't care. I am just making conversation."

"Hmm," I said. "I think that you're just being nosy."

She laughed once again. "He's good looking," she said. "If you don't want him, I would love to give him a try but as you know, full faeries can't make love to vampires. I would surely love to give him a try." She licked her lips as she winked at me.

I sat up and raised my fist to her. "Go anywhere near him and I'll split your lip."

"So you do love him," she said.

I shook my head no. "I don't know what I feel for him. I care for him … a lot but I'm not sure if it's love. I haven't known him that long. I like being with him. He has a great sense of humor and he's so smart. And he's so protective of those in his life. He has a good heart but people don't see it because he's a vampire. That's not fair. He's so much more than that. If they could look past the fangs, they would see him for what he truly is."

I glanced at her and she was smiling at me.

"I like him," I whispered.

"You like him?"

"I do."

"But you've began bonding with him. I can see his blood in you. Why?" Her voice deepened as she asked me that question. Staring into my eyes, she asked, "Why would you give your essence to a vampire if you don't love him?"

"I wanted to," I answered. "What I do with my vampire is my business."

"So, he's yours?"

"He's mine," I answered.

"Why would you give him the gift of fae blood if you don't love him?" she asked again. "Vampires and other supes have never been worthy of what we have to offer. What makes him worthy, Sookie? Were you told to bond with him? Is that why you did it? You can tell me the truth. I won't tell anyone."

I didn't answer her this time because I knew that she was lying. I began to think about the things that I heard my grandpa say to my gran when she wanted to send me to stay with Niall. Grandpa was adamant that I shouldn't go there. I would have to live a life that was not to my liking. What did he mean by that? I didn't have to wonder too much longer because Claudine began to answer my question on her own.

"You would love being with the fae men," she said. "They have so much more to offer. They're brave and very intelligent. They are wealthy and very considerate lovers. There is nothing that they wouldn't do for you. And another plus is that they are alive. They are warm to the touch." She winked at me. "Have you ever considered being with a faery, Sookie? You might like it. I could take you back to Faery for a visit. Maybe you'd meet someone that you like."

I glared at her. Was she here to set me up with a faery? Is that why Niall has assigned a faery godmother to watch over me? I opened my mouth to speak but a man's voice filled the afternoon air.

"Sookie!" Jake was waving at me as he pulling his shirt on.

I waved at him. Before jumping down from the car, I looked at Claudine. "I don't need you to look after me. I don't need you to protect me. I thank you for what you did for me today with Quinn but I don't want to see you anymore. I don't trust you. Leave me alone, Claudine."

Her mouth feel open from surprise. "Are you mad because of what I said about the faery men? I was just asking. You're not sure if you love the vampire. I just wanted to let you know that you have other options. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize your relationship with your vampire. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm only trying to form a relationship with you. You have my word. I want to make sure that you are truly happy, Sookie. That's my goal here. To keep you safe and to make sure that you get the happiness that you deserve. You've never had that in this world … in the human world. Faery has more to offer than you could ever imagine but hey. I'm not here to make you do anything that you don't want to do. I'm here to help you get it. I'm not your enemy, Cousin."

I shook my head no. "I don't believe you. I almost believed you but not anymore. You speak such easy words. See you around, Faery Godmother." I began walking away.

"It doesn't matter, Sookie," she yelled after me. "You're my ward and I'm here to protect you whether you like it or not. You won't have to see me but I will be around. I will always be around. You can count on it. And by the way. Your weapons are back in the dashboard. Keep them on you, Sookie. I don't want to come back around and find you dead."

Just as I turned to give her the finger, she blew me a kiss and vanished into thin air.

"Who was that?" Jake asked as he stood behind me.

"Claudine," I answered. "My distant cousin."

"She's hot," he said. "Where'd she go?"

"Away," I answered as I turned to face him. "So, tell me what you found."

"Nothing," he said. "I could smell Weres … unknown Weres. They're not of this area. I couldn't find where they went. I tried tracking them down but I lost their scent. They got into a car and sped off. What'd you find out?"

"Not enough," I replied. I filled Jake in on the information that I'd gotten from Andy. "We can go back to the neighborhood and question the neighbors but I'm not sure of what we'll find."

Jake shook his head no. "Eric wants to be with you when you do that. He's already let us know that anything dealing with other people, he wants to be with you. He doesn't want you going without him. And here. This is for you." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. "This is supposed to be the guy that was in Pam's home."

I opened the slip of paper and stared at the guy in the picture. Before today, I'd never seen him. Andy was right about one thing. He was so white that he could have passed for a vampire. I looked at Jake and asked, "Do you know who he is?"

"Not a clue," he shared. "If you're not too busy, we can swing by the house to see what we can find as far as clues go. Maybe they left something behind."

The very idea made my head swim with excitement. Though I wanted to do it, I didn't want to act to quickly. "I thought that you said that Eric wanted to be with me when …"

"I said that Eric wants to be with you when you have to meet with people." He began to shake his head. "He never said that we couldn't go to Pam's house and look around. Now," he added as he shrugged his shoulders. "If you're afraid to look into it, I can take you back home and you can wait for Eric to rise."

"No!" I yelled as I raised my hand. "No. We don't have to do that. We can go and look around. I'm sure that it's not going to hurt anything. We are on the job, right?"

Jake's face lit up. "Yep."

"Well, let's go."


	23. Chapter 23

**23**

 **Safe Room**

 **Here is the next chapter. I'd like to thank each of you for being patient with me while I post these chapters as I can. Work is getting more and more hectic but I will not abandon this story. I want to thank y'all for the alerts, favorites, and reviews. I hope that y'all enjoy this chapter. And as always, I would love to know what you think.**

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Jake and I searched Pam's home from top to bottom and we found nothing. We did the usual things that 'detectives' do. We looked for clues. We took pictures of anything that we thought was out of the ordinary. We even scribbled in our notepads. Yep. Jake has a notepad too. Who would've thought, huh? Anyway, we compared notes and discussed this and that but nothing stood out. Well, at least not at first.

As Jake and I stood in the kitchen, the last place to be investigated, I sighed in exasperation. I leaned on the countertop and stared at my fellow detective. "Nothing," I said. "I don't know why I'm surprised. The clean-up crew came and cleaned this place up a little too good. Not a drop of blood in sight. Not a shard of glass. Not a single footprint or fingerprint. Nothing."

"Yeah," Jake said as he rested his backside against the counter. "We knew that. But hey. All isn't lost. We can find what we're looking for but it's going to take a little time. We can't give up on Pam. I know that she has the worst personality ever but she needs to be here. She needs to be at home. We'll get what we need. We'll find something. I'm sure of it." He nudged me with his elbow. "Hey. Don't give up."

I chuckled. "I don't give up, Jake. You're going to learn that about me soon enough." I stood upright as I slapped the countertop. "Come on. Let's go. I'm hungry. Do you like tuna salad? I made some last night."

Jake turned his nose up and shook his head. "Not particularly."

"Your loss, Buddy. I make great tuna salad."

Just as I said that, a girl popped out of the pantry.

I screamed.

Jake jumped. "What the fuck!?" he yelled.

The girl tried to go back into the closet but Jake stopped her. When he turned her around to face us, her eyes were squeezed closed and tears were rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she repeated. She was shaking uncontrollably. I could only guess that it was because she was just as surprised to see us.

Jake released her arm but stayed close to her. "I'm not going to hurt you," he promised her. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The girl was a young, red head. She had big blue eyes and tanned skin; which I found to be quite odd. I've never known a red head that has tanned skinned. Her face was full and beautiful. She had the type of body that I've always envied. Her legs went all the way up to here. She was shapely and tall. She was just so damned tall. Her outfit fit her body perfectly. She looked like the type of woman that Eric would be with when Short Sookie isn't around.

 _I thought that they were good people_.

"We are good people," I said to her.

Her eyes snapped open. For a brief second, she didn't look afraid. She looked intrigued. "How do you know what I was thinking?"

Jake looked at me with a frown on his face. I forgot that none of Eric's Weres or vampires know what I can do. It was too late to turn back now. "I can read minds," I answered.

Her eyes were as wide as saucers.

 _Shit_ , she thought.

"Shit," Jake said. He looked impressed. He then looked nervous.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I have never read your mind, Jake. We're friends. I wouldn't invade your thoughts unless you gave me reason to. Don't go acting all loopy on me because you know what I can do."

The nervousness faded from view. "Good," he said. "That's good." I could only imagine what he'd been thinking. I couldn't help but wonder if those thoughts were about me.

"Who are you?" I asked her as I stood next to her.

She didn't answer me verbally. Her name popped into her head.

"Hi, Kensie," I said. "I'm Sookie and this is Jake. We're friends of Pam's. We're here to find out what happened to her."

She squeezed her eyes closed and began to cry again.

"Did you work for her?"

Kensie nodded.

"How long did you work for Pam?"

"Not long," she offered. "I worked for her for about a year. Everyone else worked here a lot longer than I did." She looked at me and asked, "Why was I spared? Why was I the one that was saved?"

I reached to touch her hand but she drew back from me. "I meant no harm," I assured her. "I won't do that again. Okay?"

She nodded.

"Were you here that night?"

Kensie answered, "Yes."

"How long have you been in that room?" I asked her.

"Since that night," she answered.

Jake's eyes widened. He moved impossibly closer to her and asked, "What did you see?"

She stepped away from Jake and closer to the pantry.

"Sorry," he said as he raised his hands in the surrender motion. He stood next to me as he waited for the girl to answer him.

She sighed before speaking. "I didn't see anything. I was in the kitchen. Pam doesn't like it when we leave a mess in the kitchen. If we bake cookies, we must wash every dish before we leave for the night. That's a rule. If we don't, we can't bake cookies for a long, long time. She said that if we cook here, we must follow the rules or we pay the price. No more cookies."

I guess she does let her humans get that comfortable in her home.

"I was washing the last dish, when I heard a vampire yell that they were here." Her eyes widened as she began to relive that night. She pointed at the door and said, "Reynaldo told me to stay in the kitchen. He was one of Pam's human guards. He used to be in the Marines. Pam liked him because he was a fighter. He was so strong and brave." She dropped her head and fell quiet. "I really liked him. We were becoming close."

"You and Reynaldo?"

"Yes," she whispered.

I could soon see the chaos in her mind. "It's okay," I told her. "Take your time. Tell us what happened at your own pace. It's okay," I repeated.

She pointed towards the kitchen entryway. "He stepped out of the kitchen and made his way down the hall. I didn't know what to do so I stayed put until he came back. He told me to go into the safe room. He punched in the code for me and told me to stay there. He said that I needed to make sure that everything that was going on was being recorded. He said that I needed to make sure that Eric got everything that was on those tapes. He said that Eric was going to need them." She began to shake her head no. "I tried to get him to come into the room with me but he wouldn't. He said that he had work to do. He pushed me into the room and said that I shouldn't let anyone in and I should not come out until it's safe." She looked at me and Jake. "It's safe."

"Do you know who did this?" I asked her. I needed to know for sure if it was Maxwell. I wanted to believe that it was someone else. For Eric. I didn't want him to lose someone he'd considered a friend. I wanted to believe that Maxwell was loyal to him and Pam.

"It was Mr. Maxwell," she said. "He killed Ms. Heidi. He killed Reynaldo. Those that were with him, killed all the human servants."

I took in the reality of what Maxwell had done. He'd shed innocent blood.

"Do you know why? Did he say why he was doing this?"

Kensie shook her head no. "He led Ms. Pam from the house. He punched her hard to keep her from talking. She told him that Mr. Eric was going to kill him."

Jake moved in closer. "You heard what they said? You heard everything?"

"Yes," she answered. "The cameras in the safe room are working. Reynaldo set up the safe room for Ms. Pam. While he was in the Marines, he did communications or work. He and several of the other men built the room. Reynaldo set up the security system. He believed that the security system to the safe room needed to differ from the security that was in the rest of the house." Whispering, she added, "He believed that anything could have gone wrong to compromise the house. It did."

"The safe room needed to stay safe."

"Yes," she said.

I frowned as I looked at her. "Why wasn't Pam hidden in the safe room? Why were you put there instead of Pam?"

She opened and closed her mouth several times as she shook her head. "I don't know."

"Kensie," I began. "The man and the woman that were here when the cops arrived, did you recognize them? Had you ever seen them before that day?"

She nodded. "Dawn has been here dozens of times. She and Pam used to be lovers. She worked for the security company that provided security for the main house." She shook her head as she began talking about the man. "I'd never seen him. He and Dawn came in after the massacre and started removing the cameras. When that cop came by, they pretended to be friends of Pam's. He must not have believed their story because he came back later that day."

I nodded my approval. Good job, Andy.

"If you saw that guy again, would you recognize him?" Jake asked.

"Yes," she replied.

With my hand reaching to her, I asked her if I could hold her hand. "I need to be sure that you're telling us the truth. Because I don't know you, I can't take you at your word. I work for Eric and I must be sure that you weren't a part of what happened here. Are you okay with that, Kensie? Will you hold my hand?"

She looked apprehensive. "I don't know." She tucked her hands behind her back.

"I won't hurt you," I promised. "I have to do this. This is my job."

She studied me long and hard. I listened in on her as she contemplated what to do. I could also hear that she was wondering if I was reading her mind. She wondered what I would see while holding her hand. She wanted to know what and who I am. This time, I didn't answer her. With my hand extended, I waited for her to take it.

She finally decided to do what I'd asked of her. As soon as I took her hand, I could see Kensie standing in the kitchen with Reynaldo and couple of others eating cookies and drinking something in mugs. The conversation was light and easy. They all appeared to be at ease with each other. Maxwell soon came into the kitchen and told them that they needed to clean up before dawn approached.

" _You know how Pam won't stand to have a mess in her kitchen_ ," he warned them. " _We have at least another hour before the dawn_." He looked at Kensie and winked.

And that's when I saw it.

She gave Maxwell a slight nod and dropped her gaze to the countertop. She was blushing. She and Maxwell were lovers. She didn't have a relationship with Reynaldo as she tried to make us believe. There was nothing going on with them. They were nothing more than co-workers. I glanced up at her and smiled. "You're doing a great job, Kensie. I can see everything that happened."

Jake frowned as her stared at me. "What do you see?"

"Everything," I said as I stared into Kensie's eyes.

And she knew. She tried to run away from me but Jake had her by her arms and slammed her against the wall … holding her in place. She couldn't move an inch. His body was soon pressed firmly against hers.

"You haven't been here since that night," I said as I pointed at her. "I see that you left long enough to go home and change your clothes."

"Let me go," she growled.

Jake's grip tightened as I placed my hands on either side of her head and did what Eric hired me to do.

 _After Reynaldo left the kitchen, Kensie pulled out her phone and made a call. "It's happening," she said. "Get over here. We have to get started."_

 _She'd just put her phone in her pocket when Reynaldo came back into the kitchen. She never knew that there was a safe room. She wasn't made privy to it. She watched Reynaldo as he punched in the code and hid her there. She watched everything that happened on the security screens in that room. She watched those people die and she didn't flinch. Her arms were folded over her chest. There was a slight smile on her face. There was nothing in her eyes._

 _Once everyone in the house has been murdered, she emerged from the room. The person that she'd called was knocking on the back door. "The guards are in the shed. They've been taken care of," he said._

" _Good job," she said. "We have to get rid of all evidence because there's more evidence. Did you know that there was a safe room? With its on separate security system?"_

 _He shook his head no._

" _Well, there is," she spat. "You said that you'd covered everything. You know that he's going to be fucking pissed when he learns of this."_

 _The nameless guy shrugged his shoulders. "Why? We have access to the room and the security system. What's the big deal?"_

 _She stepped into the guy's space and said, "She's a fucking vampire, dick wad. Do you think that she had only one safe room? If Reynaldo knew of the room, I'm quite sure that her maker knew._ "

He didn't mention the room to me. Maybe he didn't know.

" _We're going to have find out if there are other safe rooms in this fucking big ass house," she groaned. "Why are these fucking vampires so fucking suspicious?"_

 _The guy laughed as his comrade's joke. "You're funny_."

 _She snorted. "I won't be funny too much longer if he finds out that we've fucked up. You were supposed to find out everything that you could. You didn't do that_."

 _The guy pointed at the door. "I got us in here, didn't I? I'm the fucking reason that you got the job working with the vampire."_

 _Dawn laughed outright. "This is what got me the job." She twirled around as she showed off her body. Her dress fluttered around her legs. "You had nothing to do with it but guess what? You had something to do with the fuck ups that have taken place. You should have known that there was more than one security system. You are fucking useless," she growled at him._

" _Fuck you, bitch," he said as he stood nose to nose with her. "Do you think that because you're a woman, I won't knock you the fuck out?"_

 _That's when Maxwell walked into kitchen. "What's going on?_ "

 _The guy had soon lost his macho posture. He was standing upright and his voice had gone down a couple of octaves. He'd opened his mouth to speak but Kensie spoke up for him. "He fucked up, Maxie."_

 _She rambled on about the safe room and how there could be more safe rooms that they need to find. She took 'Maxie into the safe room. She showed him around. They nodded and talked about dismantling the room. Getting rid of any evidence that had been left behind. "Get it done," he ordered her._

 _"I will," she replied seductively._

 _He grabbed her by her brown hair and jerked her back. He kissed her with everything that he had. She replied in kind. "You fucked up, Eddie," Maxwell said as he and Kensie left the safe room. "You know what happens when you fuck up." He began walking slowly towards the guy. Kensie rested her backside against the countertop and watched._

 _Eddie raised his hands in the surrender motion. "I did what I could," he said as stared Maxwell down. "How was I supposed to know that she had a safe room? I don't fucking live here. If you had gotten me in like you were supposed to, we wouldn't be in this shit."_

 _Without replying to him, Maxwell blurred to the guy and snapped his neck. He pulled out his cell phone and called in reinforcements. "Come," he said. "You need to pick up where Eddie left off." He placed his phone in his pocket. As he left the kitchen, he said, "Get rid of it."_

 _"Done," she said._

 _She and the new guy, they never talked, did as Maxwell ordered them to do._

I removed my hands from her head, along with her wig, and stared at her. "You're Dawn Greene and you're a liar. You weren't here the entire time. You came back to see if you could find the other safe rooms."

"Wow," Jake said as he peeked at me.

She was doing her best to wrestle against Jake but she wasn't doing a very good job so far. He had a killer grip on her. There was no way that she was getting away from him. If I pulled up the sleeves of her shirt, I'd have bet that her arms were covered with bruises. She jerked one last time before she gave up. "If anything happens to me, Pam will die."

My body tensed as those words played in my mind. The very idea of Eric losing Pam terrified me. They need each other. They're family. I'd hate to think of how Eric would be if something happened to her. He can't lose her. They need each other.

Jake was as calm as ever. He began to laugh at the words that bothered me. "She won't die."

"Are you sure?" I asked him.

"Positive," he said. "Think about it. Don't let your emotions get in the way of your job or your ability to think rationally. They're holding her to get to Eric. They want something from him and they aren't going to get it if Pam is finally dead. Eric would kill everyone that had anything to do with this plan." Using his head to point at Dawn, he said, "She's just a pawn in their game. She's not important anymore. They don't need her. She's done her job. That's why she's still here."

And he was right. They can't get Eric to do their bidding if something happens to his child. They'll have nothing to hold over him. "Who is your boss?"

"Fuck you," she spat at me.

I grabbed her bare arm to see if I could see who employed her. I gripped both sides of her head and both times, I got nothing. Just like with Selah, I could see Dawn in a room with vampires but I couldn't see their faces. His name and face had been glamored from her mind. And that puzzled me. "Why didn't Maxwell glamor what happened from her mind, Jake?" I looked up at him. "Why would he leave the events of that night in her mind? He's a vampire. He would have to realize that once Eric found her, he would glamor her to get the information that he needs."

"Because she's supposed to be dead." He said it as if it was the only answer. "Maxwell has walked this earth for hundreds of years. He's not stupid or careless. He and Eric were friends at one time. He left her alive because he knows that Eric will kill her once he learns the truth." He looked at Dawn and promised, "And Eric will kill you."

I could see the very second reality hit Dawn in the gut. And it hit her hard.

What Jake said made perfect sense but what if he was wrong? What if she left alive to get Eric to come to them? What if this entire thing was nothing more than a set up? I looked at my watch. We still had several hours to go before Eric would rise. "What are we going to do with her?"

"Look for some rope or sheets," he ordered.

I did as he ordered. I checked every closet that I could until I found what we needed. I grabbed several sheets and ran back to the kitchen. I watched Jake as he wrapped Dawn up in the sheets. He was probably a whiz at wrapping Christmas gifts. Dawn was wrapped so tightly that it had to have been hard for her breath. Once he was done, he propped her against the wall and admired his work. "Think she'll escape?" he asked me.

"I don't see how she would," I replied. I pointed towards the safe room. "Wanna check it out?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Making sure that Dawn was upright before leaving her against the wall, Jake pointed at her and said, "Don't go anywhere."

I laughed long and loudly.

Jake and I checked the room and to no surprise, there were no recordings anywhere in here. We checked the drawers and the closet. Nothing was there. "Nothing," I groaned.

He didn't agree with me. "Not necessarily," he said. "If we can find where Reynaldo put the main line, we can find what we need." He began pointing to the wires and the TVs. "There's more to this system than what we see. If this guy Reynaldo was an engineer in the Army ..."

"Marines and it was communications not engineering," I corrected.

"Whatever," he said. "If he was this careful to keep the safe room under wraps, there's no way he would leave the main line in this room."

My eyes widened. "His house," I whispered.

"His house," Jake agreed. He looked at his watch. "I don't know where Pam keeps the files on her employees. We're going to have to wait until Eric rises."

I nodded in agreement. "He'd know."

"Yep," Jake agreed.

When we walked out of the room, I noticed that Dawn was still leaned against the wall. I looked at her and smiled. "It's good that you decided to stick around."

He laughed as he patted me on the arm. "Come on," he said. "Let's go."

I watched him as he tucked Dawn under his arm and carried her out the backdoor. He slid her into the backseat of his car with ease. I was about to ask him how he was going to keep her from screaming but I didn't have to. He reached into his dashboard and removed a roll of duct tape. He ripped off a piece and placed it over her mouth. Anyone else would have wondered why Jake has duct tape in the dashboard of his car. I didn't. If you could see the seats of his old, beat up car, you wouldn't have to wonder at all.

"Where are we taking her?" I asked.

"To Colonel Flood," he answered. "Eric wants us to report whatever we find to him and the colonel. Since Eric's resting, the colonel is the one that's going to have to decide where to hide this little minx."

I didn't know this but okay.

Jake must've noticed the worry and uncertainty on my face. "Don't worry, Sookie," he said. "I'm not like Maxwell. Neither is the colonel. We have been friends with Eric for quite a while. You will find on betrayal here."

"Okay," I said.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yep."

He cranked up and off we went.

I took out my phone and began texting Eric. As I texted him, I asked Jake, "Do you wrap Christmas gifts part-time at Macy's or something? You did one heck of a job wrapping up Dawn." It was supposed to be a joke.

Jake began rubbing his hand through his hair. He glanced shyly at me. "Don't tell anyone, okay? They'll never let me live it down."

My mouth dropped open. Before I knew it, I was laughing and crying.

Jake was embarrassed.

My laughter drowned out the muffled sounds of Dawn Greene as she lay in the backseat.


	24. Chapter 24

**24**

 **It's Okay Now**

 **I hope that everyone has had a great weekend! I want to thank y'all for the great reviews, for reading, alerting, and making this story one of your favorites. I especially want to thank y'all for making me a favorite. I truly appreciate each of you. Well, here's the next chapter. There is no Eric here but he's coming soon.**

 **The characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine. Enjoy, my friends!**

* * *

Jake and I left a tightly wrapped Dawn with the colonel. He had us put her in a room that was a lot scarier than the basement of Fangtasia. I say that because the room looks like the most comforting room you could ever go into. I would even think about taking a nap in this room. The lighting is bright. The walls are painted bright yellow and white. There are couches scattered throughout. There are TVs and a pool table. There are even video games hooked up to the TVs. There is a wall unit that holds hundreds of movies. There are vending and drink machines. It looks quite inviting until you make your way to the back. There are these chairs that surround a circle … these big, black, wingback chairs ... eight of them. They look very comfortable. Almost as comfortable as the couches.

But then you see the chair that's in the center of the circle.

There are no torture devices or anything like that. There's just a chair. The fact that the chair is sitting in the circle all alone is what's scary. The entire time we were in that room, I wondered what happens when someone sits in that chair. I shuddered at the very thought because I knew that later tonight, I was going to find out what happens to the person that sits in that chair. I began to wonder if I wanted to know. I think that I'd rather be oblivious.

"Whatever you're thinking," Jake said as he leaned down and whispered in my ear. "It's worse than that."

I swallowed my tongue and whatever else was in my mouth.

"Sookie," he said.

"Yeah?"

"Don't be afraid," he said.

"I won't be," I assured him.

"And, hey." He began to run his hand through his hair. "Your secret's safe with me, okay? I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks, Jake."

As he nodded, he said, "I get why Eric didn't tell anyone. You're in the supe world now. You need to keep your secrets secret." He looked down at me. "Do a lot of people know what you can do?"

All of Bon Temps.

"Yeah," I answered.

He nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been able to do that thing you do." He tapped the side of his head for emphasis.

"Since birth," I answered.

"Wow," he said. "That had to be hard on you."

"At times, it was," I admitted. "But my grandpa helped me learn to control it. When I was younger, I would blurt out what people were thinking. Mainly because it took a while for me to realize that I was reading thoughts and not hearing spoken conversations. As I said, grandpa was my godsend. If I didn't have him, I don't know what my life would be like."

"I can only imagine." He shrugged his shoulders. "Either way, I won't tell."

"Thanks, Elf."

Jake laughed before he could catch himself. "Let me get you home, Jerk."

Not just yet, I thought. I needed to see Dawn. "Where is she?"

Jake pointed behind him to a room that led to a wall of cages. "There."

Dawn was in a cage that held a cot with a very thin mattress and a very public stainless steel toilet. She looked calm though her mind wasn't. Her thoughts were going a mile a minute. She wished that she'd stayed in the safe room. If she had just kept the cameras that were in the room hooked up, she would have known that Jake and I were in the house. Surprisingly, she believed that she would get out of this and she would know not to make this kind of stupid mistake again. She would not be smarter next time.

I cocked my head to the side as I stared at her. "Do you actually believe that there will be a next time?"

Mimicking my movements, she said, "There will be a next time, Mind Reader."

"Not for you," I said. I thought that I would have felt pity for Dawn but I felt nothing. Speaking to Jake, I said, "Once we get the files on Pam's employees, we need to get her address as well. We can check her house to see what's there."

She chuckled at the suggestion. "Do you think that I gave her my real address, Mind Reader?" She shook her head. "I may be stupid but I'm not that stupid. I am wanderer. I don't live anywhere. There is nothing that you will find on me, Mind Reader. Do you think that my name is Dawn?" She slipped her hand through the bar. "Go ahead," she offered. "See what you can find out."

I saw images of her banging my head against the iron bars of the cage as she laughed. I saw her licking my blood from her lips.

Jake placed his hand on my shoulder.

I looked up at him. "I wasn't going to." This time, I smiled at her. "You may be stupid but I'm not. See ya when Eric rises."

She was still smiling when Jake and I left.

* * *

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

* * *

When Jake took me to get my car from Pam's, I went right home. I wanted to take a quick nap before I had to get back to work tonight but that wasn't in the cards. I had company waiting for me. Trey and Alcide were standing by my apartment door next to a stack of boxes. Trey was smiling as he removed his hat. Alcide smiled broadly as he watched me.

Waving at them as I approached them, I said, "Hi, guys. What's with the boxes? Am I moving again?"

Trey answered back. "Hi, Miss. Stackhouse. Eric told us to bring these boxes here. He said that this was information that was going to be useful to you." He scratched at his head. "It looks as if you're going to be doing a lot of reading for the next few days."

I frowned as I stared at the boxes. "I guess so." I opened the door and went inside. I used a doorstop to hold the door open for them as they lugged the boxes inside. Six huge boxes. Each box was labeled with initials. I had no idea what the initials stood for but I figured I'd find out once I get started.

Standing in the middle of my living room, Trey asked, "Where do you want them?"

Pointing, I said, "You can set them by the couch. I'll get Eric to move them to the back room when he comes over tonight."

Alcide's smile slowly faded from view. "You don't have to wait for Eric to come by. I can help you if you need it. You don't have to bother Eric with that stuff. That's why I'm here." He then looked at Trey and said, "Him too. He doesn't do much of anything anyway."

I could see that Trey was about to use the 'F' word but stopped himself when he saw me looking at him. "Go to hell, Alcide."

I dropped my head and smiled. He may not have said the 'F' word verbally but in his mind, it was loud and clear. "Thanks, Alcide, but you don't have to do that. You're not here to move boxes. Well, not normally." I pointed at Trey and said, "Him either."

Trey laughed. "Thanks for including me."

I patted him on the shoulder. "You'll always be included," I assured him. "Hey, if you're hungry, I have some tuna salad in the fridge. I can make you guys a couple of sandwiches before you go. I have more than enough."

Alcide had opened his mouth to say yes but his partner had other plans. Trey looked at him and shook his head no. "No, thank you, Sookie." He smiled at me in an apologetic way. "We're going to go and let you get to work. The colonel wants us to set up the room for tonight's meeting." He slapped the top of one of the boxes. "You're going to be too busy to worry about making us a tuna sandwich."

Alcide laughed when he heard that. "I'm sure she will be," he agreed. "That's a lot of reading that you're going to have to do by yourself."

I agreed. "I didn't expect any of this. I kind of hope that Eric hires someone to help me go through this stuff."

Trey inhaled deeply. "I doubt that. It's vampire stuff. He's not going to let anyone that's not a vampire or you, read over any of what's in those boxes. Mark my words, Sookie. This job is all yours."

I sighed as I looked at the boxes. "I'm afraid you're right."

"I'd help you," Alcide offered. "I can stay with you until Eric rises and just sit with you. I don't have to read over anything."

Before I could reply, Trey replied for me. "No you won't," he stated. "You can smell him in her just as well as I can. She's off limits to you. Don't cross the line, Alcide. Not again. You remember what happened the last time."

Alcide has made a pass at someone that Eric was seeing? He was awfully brave.

"Yes, sir," Alcide said.

I noticed the look of embarrassment on Alcide's face so I didn't ask what Trey what he meant. I didn't want to make things worse for Alcide. I like him. I patted his arm. "It's okay, Alcide. There are going to many times when we are going to be working together. You're my guard."

He smiled slyly at me. "Thanks, Sookie."

"Sure you guys don't want a sandwich?" I asked again. "I have Lays and Ruffles potato chips. And Pepsi."

Trey laughed. "As tempting as it sounds, we need to get back to the colonel. You have Jake to watch over you while we're away but you have our numbers if you need us."

I raised my phone as I said, "I do."

"Come on, Alcide," Trey said. "Let's leave, Miss. Stackhouse alone."

"Thanks, for bringing the boxes in, guys," I said as I removed the stop from the door.

"Not a problem," Trey said. Once he was out in the hallway, he put his hat back on. "If you need us, you know where we'll be."

It then dawned on me that they are Weres. I needed to ask them about Quinn. "Hey," I said. "I need to ask you guys a question about someone that I met earlier today. I didn't think to mention what happened while I was with Jake."

"Okay," Alcide said as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Have either of you ever heard of Quinn?"

The atmosphere in the room changed entirely. "How did you meet him?" Trey asked as he stepped in closer to me.

"He's a cop at the police station in Bon Temps," I said.

Alcide shook his head no. "Quinn's no cop. If anything, he's a criminal." He then looked at his partner. "This isn't good."

My thoughts instantly went to my dad. I needed let him know.

"It never is," Trey agreed. Staring into my eyes, he said, "Don't ever find yourself in a situation when you're alone with him. Quinn is no good. He can't be trusted. He is not above breaking the law to get what he wants. How he could infiltrate the police station, I don't know but we'll find out. Just stay away from him."

"I will," I promised. "Do you know who would have helped him to get there?"

"My guess is that it was a vampire. He's always worked for vampires because they pay the big bucks but he can be bought by anyone. If the money is good, he's for sale," Alcide said. "Quinn is the worst of the worst. He has no conscience. He feels no guilt. He does things that no one else would ever think of doing."

The very thought terrified me.

"Don't go near him, Sookie," Trey warned me. "You stay away from him. Do you hear me? He's no good. He's dangerous. You stay away from him."

"I will. I give you my word," I said with a smile. "Have a good day, guys. And if you need anything, water or a tuna salad sandwich, let me know. I'll be here."

Trey tipped his hat as he turned away. Alcide eyed me and said nothing as I closed the door. I took my phone from my purse and dialed my dad's number. It rang for what felt like forever. Because he didn't answer, I had to leave him a message. "Hi, daddy. I guess you're still sleeping. This is very important. You need to call me as soon as you get up. I love you. Oh. This is Sookie."

I sighed as I placed my phone on the coffee table. I couldn't do anything about Quinn until my dad called me back. I had no choice but to get to work. That's what I did.

The first thing that I did was go to my room and get my suspect book. I scribbled down the names of John Quinn and Claudine Brigant the Faery Godmother. I didn't trust either one of them; especially not Quinn. I scribbled that he could possibly be one of the people that had taken Pam. He was probably working at the police station to find out what they know and report back to his boss. They need someone on the inside to let them know what's going on. Or he could have been sent there to watch me by none other than William Compton. He told me that he's a king and he can find out many things. It may not have taken him long to find out that my dad's a detective. And if he does a bit more snooping, he's going to find out that I'm a telepath. Most of Bon Temps knows that I'm different but they don't exactly know what I am. Ask the right questions, and he's going to know.

"Dang it," I whispered. "I need to speak to Sam."

So, that's what I did. I called Merlotte's and he answered. "Merlotte's."

"Hey, Sam. It's Sookie."

"How's it going, Sook?"

"Good," I answered. "Are you busy?"

"Yeah," he said. "You know how it is on Thursdays. What's up?"

"I need to talk to you."

He was soon whispering. "Are you okay?"

"I am," I assured him. "I just have to talk to you."

"Come by in a couple of hours," he said. "I'll be waiting for you. Whatever you need, you know that I'll help you."

"Thanks, Sam."

So much for taking that nap.

After getting that done and out of the way, I went back to my notebook. I wrote a few things about Claudine but decided to save that for grandpa. He would be able to give me a little more insight to what her story is and why Niall would have her watching over me.

After scribbling a bit more in my notebook, I made myself a tuna salad sandwich and a glass of iced tea and went into my living room. I opened the first box and took a file from it. It was thicker than I could have ever imagined. The name on the file read 'William Compton'. Eric had gotten information on the so-called king of Louisiana. He must have seen my suspect list after putting me to be last night. I guessed that the other boxes had info pertaining to the other possible suspects as well as the victims of the massacre at Pam's house. I was excited to read everything I could about the people that were in our sights but come on. It was a lot to read; especially to have read alone but it was going to be worth it.

I stared at the boxes in disbelief. I couldn't imagine what could possibly be in those boxes. Talking out loud to myself, I said. "What kind of information did Eric have that required six heavy boxes? Did he expect me to read over all this stuff by myself? Couldn't he at least have sent someone over to help me read through most of it?"

There was knock at my door.

I smiled. "You were wrong, Trey. Maybe he did send someone over to help me read what's in the boxes." I did a little jig after I jumped up from the couch and went to the door. When I opened it, I expected to see Jake or maybe a human that Eric trusted enough to help me read over the information. I was in for a huge surprise.

"Mom," I said.

She stared at me as she straightened her posture and tucked her purse securely under her arm. "Sookie," she said. "Your brother told me that you had your own place. I wanted to come by and see if there was anything that you needed."

I shook my head no. "I don't need anything."

We stared at each other … not knowing what to say. At least, I didn't know what to say.

Clearing her throat, she said, "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

I stepped to the side and said okay. "You can have a seat in one of the chairs if you'd like. The boxes are in the way and there's only enough for me to sit on the couch." I hurriedly said, "I can make room."

"No," she replied. "I can sit in the chair." She came inside as I closed the door behind her. She looked around the apartment but said nothing. She made her way to the chair and sat down. She still didn't say anything.

"So," I said. "How have you been?"

"Fine."

Short answers. Cold and hard posture. That's nothing new when it comes to my mom when she's dealing with me. I wanted to read her but I didn't do that. I'd vowed to never read my mom's mind again. I've heard hurtful things before from the customers at Merlotte's and the kids in school but they don't compare to what I've heard in my mom's mind. "Why are you here, mom?"

She settled deeper into the chair before speaking. Her eyes were still looking over the things in my apartment. "Jason told me how well you are doing and I just wanted to see for myself. He was right. You appear to be doing very well." She stroked the arm of the chair. She eyed the big TV that hung on the wall. She looked at the couch that I was sitting on. "Your things seem to be of high quality but there's not much here." She shook her head and said, 'No. You don't seem to have a lot things. Your apartment is quite basic. Like you."

"I don't need a lot of things." And yes. I ignored the insult.

Finally looking at me, she said, "You never did."

Okay.

"He said that your dad has your address. Your dad and your grandparents."

"They do."

"I didn't have your address."

"You didn't."

"Why?"

"You know why," I answered.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I've heard of your meetings with your dad. I know that you see him on Fridays. I heard that you two normally meet at Merlotte's. I know this because of the town gossips. I also know this because when he comes home from seeing you, he's very happy. He speaks of you the entire time. I just wanted to let you know that I know. It's okay."

"He's my dad."

She smiled at me and said, "There's no denying that. What I mean is that I haven't stopped him from seeing you because I know how much he needs your skills. If he didn't need you, I would cut this relationship off without a thought to the consequences."

I think she expected me to cry because the young Sookie would have. I would have let her say whatever she wants to say to me and let it go. I would just chalk it up to her being afraid of what I am and what I can do. I would have forgiven her and never mentioned what's happened to her again. We would never talk about how she treats me or how jealous she is of the relationship that I have with my dad. I would have smiled her insults away. That's what I would normally do.

Not today.

Instead of crying, I sat cross legged on my couch and looked down at my hands before speaking. I stared up at her and said, "I feel sorry for you, mom."

"You feel sorry for me?" she asked. "And why is that? There is no reason for you to feel sorry for me. I don't need your pity." She looked disgusted at the very idea.

"But you do," I assured her. "I don't know why but you're threatened by me when it comes to dad and I don't understand it. Is it because we're close? Do you feel that I'm taking him away from you? Am I infringing on your time with him?"

She laughed outright. "I have no reason at all to feel threatened by you. I am his wife. You are just his daughter. You are nothing more than his daughter."

"Mom, since I was a little girl, you've always hated me." I sighed.

Her mouth feel open from surprise. "I have never hated you. I have always …"

"Hated me," I finished. "I know, mom."

She closed her mouth when she realized _how_ I know.

"Why?"

She didn't say a word.

"When I was a little girl, I used to want you to notice me the way you would notice Jason." I stared at her as I shared a memory with her. "This one night, you were supposed to read Goodnight, Moon to us but you told me that you didn't feel like reading it. You said that you were tired from cooking and cleaning all day." Tears trickled down my face. "Do you remember that night?"

When she looked down at her hands, I knew that she did. I remember the argument that she and dad had after he'd realized what she'd done.

I continued. "You said that you would read it to us the next night. You sent us to bed. You patted me on the head but you kissed Jason's cheek. You patted my head." I wiped the tears from my face. "I'd gone to bed like you said. I always did what you told me to. I did my best to stay in your good graces even though it never did me much good." I chuckled as I shook my head. "I was a kid. I didn't know that it wouldn't have made a difference."

Her cold blue eyes stared into mine.

"Anyway, I woke up a little later to go to the bathroom and I could hear you talking. You were sitting on Jason's bed and you were reading him Goodnight, Moon. I stood at the door and watched you. You turned and looked at me and you smiled. I thought that you were going to tell me that you were no longer tired and you'd decided to read the story after all. I thought that you were going to tell me to come in and listen to the story but you didn't do that, did you?"

My mom's face hardened.

"You told _me_ to go back to bed," I reminded her. "You didn't want me in there. I cried as I walked back to my bedroom. Dad came home a few minutes later and he heard me crying. He also heard you reading the story to Jason and he knew what was wrong with me. He came into my room and hugged me to him. He told me that it was okay. He said, 'I love you, Sunshine. Daddy will always you.'. In that house, daddy was my only comfort. You know that," I said to her. After wiping the last of the tears from my face, I eyed my mom.

My mom tossed her hair back as she sat impossibly straighter in her seat. "You were too needy … clingy. I had to try and break you from that. I didn't want you to be weak." She turned her nose up at me. "I see that I failed in what I was trying to do."

My eyes widened in surprise. I couldn't believe her arrogance. I could see that I needed to explain things to her in a more detailed way. "Do you think that these tears are a sign of weakness? Do you think that these tears are for you? Because I want a relationship with you?" I began to shake my head no as I chuckled. "No. That's not it all. It's seems that you don't realize that I don't need you or your approval. I'm not that little girl anymore. I'm crying because it took you putting me out for me to see that I'll never be a priority to you. I stayed with Gran and grandpa for a couple of months and not once did you call me. You didn't come by to see me. You didn't care to know how I was doing or feeling. I'm mad at myself for expecting anything of you. Those tears were for me. I haven't cried over you since that night. I was five years old. That was over twenty years ago. I don't cry for you. Not anymore."

For a brief second, I saw something in her eyes. "Your dad stood with me when I put you out. Shouldn't you be saying these same things to him?"

I shook my head no. "Dad has to live with you," I said. "You are his wife and he loves you. I don't know why but he does. I can only imagine the grief you would have given him if he'd stood up to you. You gave him hell when he'd try to defend me when I was child. Dad has always been passive when it comes you. He's always tried to be a peaceable man. So, no. I shouldn't say this to my dad. This was for you."

She said nothing.

I closed my eyes and sighed. "It feels good to tell you that." I opened my eyes and looked at her. "I don't need you in my life. I've never had you in my life and because of it, I realize that I am much happier. It's okay now. _I'm_ okay now."

A knowing grin appeared on her face. "Are you saying that you hate me?" She laughed. "I can't believe that Sweet Sookie hates anyone."

I chuckled at her words. "Mom," I began. "I'm not you. I don't hate you. Did you hear any of what I said to you? I love you because you're my mom but I don't need you in my life. You've taught me that I don't need you. I don't want you in my life. I'm at peace with the way things are with us. I prefer that our relationship stays where it is." I stood up from the couch and walked towards the door. I pulled it open and waited. I held the door open. "You may not believe this but I'm glad that you came by. It was nice seeing you but you need to go. Goodbye, mom."

She got up from the chair and walked past me and out the door. With her back to me, she said, "Regardless of your feelings for me, I won't stop your dad from seeing you. I know that he needs you and you …"

Cutting her off, I said, "I've seen dad every Friday since you put me out and he hasn't once asked me for help. Don't think that you can hurt me by saying that he's seeing me because he's using me. It won't work this time. I hope that you find happiness in your life, mom. You need it."

She turned to look at me just as I closed the door.

I locked and chained my door before going back to my work. And you know what? I haven't felt this good in a very long time. It felt good. It felt right.

Flopping down on the couch as I picked up a file, I said, "Okay, Eric. I'm all yours."


	25. Chapter 25

**25**

 **Do What You Have to Do to Survive It**

 **Hello, everyone. I hope that y'all have been having a great couple of weeks. I apologize for the delay with the chapter but work has been hectic. It's almost summer and school is out. The kids are in full swing with their moods and attitudes. For me, that means that duty calls. I want to thank y'all for reading, reviewing, alerting, and making this story a favorite. I appreciate each of you.**

 **As always the story is mine but these wonderful characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

 **Enjoy, my friends.**

* * *

When I got to Merlotte's to speak with Sam, the meeting started off pleasantly enough. I thought that I was going to be prepared for whatever it was that he would tell me about Quinn. Let me explain what I mean. I left home an hour before dusk so that Eric could meet me there. I had my weapons in my purse. I even had one hidden underneath my dress. I had my notebook and pen in my hand. I was excited and ready to get as much as information that I needed on my next suspect. I believed that I was ready for whatever was going to be thrown my way.

What can I say? I was wrong.

Instead of sitting out in the bar, Sam and I sat in his office. We both agreed that because of what we needed to discuss, we should be alone. Smiling at me, he said, "You look very nice. Yellow has always looked good on you. I'm surprised that you're not wearing Fangtasia gear. The dark, vampire garb. That seems to be what everyone that works there wears."

"Thanks," I said as I looked down at my halter dress and nodded. "I was surprised too. Really surprised, but Eric said that he doesn't want to see dressed liked that. He said that he likes my look as it is." I looked at Sam and smiled. "Go figure."

"I figure it's because you're beautiful. Inside and out," he added shyly. "You know that."

I blushed at his compliment as I thanked him. Sam has always had a thing for me but he never acted on it. I'm glad that he didn't. I'm not interested in Sam like that. I've known him for too long and we're friends. Plus, he dated my friend Tara for a few months. I'm not the type to date someone that my best friend has dated. That's not what I do. "We're friends, Sam," I said. "But I do appreciate the compliment."

"I know," he agreed. "And we'll always be friends. I wanted to let you know that you're a beautiful person. It's exactly why Eric likes you as you are. You're special, Sookie. There's something about you that draws people to you."

He may be on to something. Maybe it's the spark that draws people to me ... supe people. I've always had a problem with humans but not the supes.

"So," he began. "What's happened? What's got you so bothered, Sookie?" He then leaned across his desk and asked, "Is it Quinn?"

Because I was at a loss for words, I nodded my head.

Sam looked down at his desk and sighed. He ran his hands through his hair. "Wondering how I know about him?"

Again, I nodded.

"He's been around here snooping, Sookie. Asking questions about you," he added. "Wanting to know who your people are. Who you hang around. What you like to do for fun. Things like that."

I closed my eyes and winced. "Shoot." I looked at Sam and waited. I guess my faery godmother and the Weres were right. Someone has hired Quinn to find out about me. Maybe it was the king. "Has anyone spoken to him? Told him anything as far as you know?"

Sam shook his head no. "As far as I know, no. You know how it is in Bon Temps. Everyone here may not be a friend of yours but they are not going to betray you. If you're born in Bon Temps, you are Bon Temps," he assured me. "Catfish and I have made sure of that. I've given everyone a hint as to what type Quinn is. No one is trusting of him. Don't worry, Sook. He won't find you. We'll make sure of that."

"What type is he, Sam?" I asked. "My faery godmother …"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Your faery godmother?"

"Right," I said. "My faery godmother. She told me that I need to watch out for him. The Weres that are with me during the day told me that he'd do anything for money if it's the right amount but no one has told me what that ' _anything_ ' is. I had to come to you because I know that if anyone knows about the shifter world, you do. I know that you will help me. Will you tell me?"

Frowning, he asked, "Eric hasn't told you?"

I shook my head no. "I haven't had a chance to tell him about Quinn yet. I just met him today."

The creases in his forehead deepened. "You met him today? Where?"

"At the police station," I answered. "I went there to meet with Andy. He stared at me a lot and yes, he made me very uncomfortable. Anyway, he's working there now. Andy said that he didn't even know that they needed another deputy. He also said that he doesn't trust him."

Sam reached for his phone and began dialing. He turned his back to me and began talking in a hushed voice. His body tensed as his voice turned into a growl and deepened. I know that I don't have to say this but I've never seen Sam like this. He's always so calm and so cool. He nodded his head before spinning around in the chair to face me. He offered me the phone. "Here," he said.

Confusion was clearly on my face as I took the phone from him. "Hello?"

"Sunshine," daddy said.

"Daddy?" I said. "Where are you? I've been trying to call you all day. Why haven't you called me back?"

He fell quiet.

"Daddy?"

"Sookie," he began. "I'm okay. And I'm at home. I haven't been taking your calls because I can't talk to you right now. It's not safe. He's always watching. He has eyes everywhere. The one that has been following you is watching all of us."

My heart shattered. "You knew and you didn't tell me?" I looked at Sam and he dropped his head.

"I couldn't," he said. "It wasn't safe for me to contact you. I was trying to keep you safe. Sam warned me to tell you before anything could happen but we felt that we were doing what was best for you. We couldn't risk reaching out. We don't know what he wants with you or why he wants you. Keeping you out of his line of sight is what we are doing."

My body slumped in the chair. "You can't keep doing this to me, dad. You can't assume to know what's best for me. You should've told me so that I could've been prepared. You let me walk into a trap. What if I'd gone to the station at night and he was out there waiting for me? There's no telling what he could do to me. He could have taken me and you wouldn't know what was going on or where to look. You can't keep babying me."

"I'm so sorry, Sunshine," he whispered. "I'm so sorry." I could almost see the hurt on his face. I'm sure that it matched the sound of his voice.

"You could've sent me a text message or you could've sneaked and called me. Heck, dad. You could've had Sam tell me. You told me nothing, dad." I was hurt. No matter why he's done what he's done, I'm hurt.

"Forgive me," he begged.

"Does grandpa know?"

Again, he was quiet.

"Really?" I said.

"Sookie …"

"What about Gran? Does she know?"

He sighed.

"Come on, dad." Exasperation filled my voice. "You all know and no one told me?"

"Dad felt that it was best that we keep you away from us," he said. "He wants Quinn to believe that we've had no contact with you because you are dating a vampire. He said that we need to keep our distance from you. He said that it's the best way to keep you safe from Quinn's prying eyes. We all agreed to do that, Sookie. If he sees us going on with our lives and if you're not a part of our lives, we figured you're safe."

I guess it was a good thing that dad has switched to the night shift. I wouldn't have known what to think if he had turned me away when I'd gone to the station this morning.

"Will I be able to speak with grandpa?"

"Not now," he said. "He will come to you when it's safe. He could pop over but he's not going to do that. Not now. He said that there are too many eyes on you. Someone has told others what you can do. That's what dad thinks. We don't want you in harm's way, Sookie. Please know that we weren't keeping you in the dark because we wanted to. We were keeping away from you to keep you safe."

I thought about my dad's words. Grandpa has been in this world a lot longer than we have and he knows more about the supe world than any of us. He's killed full-blooded faeries to keep me safe. I know that he would do nothing to harm me. I've always been able to depend on his and Gran's love above everyone else's and I don't doubt him. If grandpa says that this is what needs to be done, then that's what I'll do. It still doesn't mean that I'm not hurt.

"Okay, dad," I said.

"Good," he said. I could hear the relief in his voice. "If we need to contact you, Sam will be our go-between. He will send all messages to you. None of us will contact you but through Sam."

I nodded and was about to say okay but something stopped me. "Was mom there? Was mom there when grandpa gave his orders?"

"Yes," he said. "None of us are to have any contact with you. Dad said that whomever hired Quinn could have hired others to find out where you live. We all agreed to stay away from you until everything's safe."

I looked at Sam as I said, "She came to see me today."

Sam slammed his fist onto his desk. "Fucking bi …!" He stopped as he looked at me.

"What!" dad yelled.

"Yeah," I said. "She came to see me earlier today."

"I've got to go," dad said. "But before I do, promise me that you won't go back to your apartment. You can't go back there until it's safe. Ask Eric if he has the room for you to stay with him."

I shook my head no. "I can't stay with him, dad. He's my boss. I can't …"

"Sookie!" he yelled. "This is no time for you to play the good girl. You are in this life now and you must make choices that are going to go against everything that you were raised to believe. This is your life now, Sookie. Your world. Do what has to be done so that you can survive it."

He was right. This is the life that I've chosen to live and these are the choices that are to be made. "Okay," I said. "I'll speak with him about it tonight. I give you my word."

Dad sighed.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Sookie."

"Jason?"

"Don't worry about Jason. He's gone on a fishing trip to Canada with Hoyt and Dago. Your grandpa set it up. We all know that Jason's as dumb as a stump some days. We didn't want to risk it. He'll be gone for a couple of weeks. Don't worry about Jason."

This time, I sighed. "Okay.

"I must go," daddy said. "I'll call you but only through Sam. If anyone else tells you anything about us, don't believe them. All contact will come through Sam. If you don't hear from us for a while don't worry. We'll only contact you if it's necessary."

"Okay, daddy," I said. "Stay safe, okay?"

"I will."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Sookie."

I handed the phone back to Sam. He and dad spoke a bit more before he hung up the phone. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I said. And I was. "I am okay."

"Sorry about your mom," he said.

"Me too."

I guess I should be surprised and a bit hurt but I'm not. If I were anyone else, I probably would be but this is the way I've always known her to be when it comes to me. I'm not surprised that she's betrayed me. Maybe they offered her something that she couldn't refuse. Maybe she was offered a butt load of money. She's always wanted to be rich. She's never liked living in Bon Temps. She's always believed that this little hick town was beneath her even though she was born and raised in this hick town. My mother's betrayal tickled me. I couldn't help but smile.

"Why the smile?" Sam asked.

"No reason," I said as I shook my head. "So. Tell me what questions Quinn has been asking about me."

"Are you sure …?"

"Tell me what questions Quinn has been asking?" I repeated.

Sam nodded as he rested his elbows on his desk. "He wants to know what you are and what you can do." He chuckled. "He had the nerve to say that he'd gone to school with you. Maudette Pickens called him out on his lie. She told him that she went to school with you and she had never seen him anywhere near Bon Temps High. She told him that if he'd been a student, he would have been remembered by everyone. She told him that he was too good looking not to remember." He shook his head in disbelief. "Only Maudette Pickens."

"If she had gone to school with him, I can guarantee that she would've tried sleeping with him."

"Right?" Sam agreed. "After he'd been called out on his awful lie, he tried a different tactic. He told everyone that he'd seen you at the vampire bar in Shreveport and he wanted to get to know you. He claimed that you two shared a drink and a dance. He wanted your number but you left so quickly that he didn't get to ask you for it." He raised an eyebrow when he said that. "I knew that was an outright lie when I heard him saying it to Jerry. Even Jerry knew it was lie. But get this, when he saw me, he tried to leave. He knew that I was the one that was going to call him out on his shit."

I smiled. "What did you do?"

Sam leaned back in his chair and propped his feet upon his desk. "I told him that you wouldn't deal with a coward like him. I told him that maybe you didn't give him your number because you didn't want him to have your number. Catfish decided to add in his two cents worth." He really began to laugh then. "He said that if Quinn has to sneak around and tell lies about knowing you, you could see him for the bullshitter that he is." He went on to say that everyone in the bar told Quinn that he needed to leave because he wasn't going to get what he was looking for in this bar. "I could see that he was as mad as a wet cat but he left. He hasn't been back since." The smile faded from his face. "He hasn't been back here."

Still smiling, I said, "I never knew that anyone here cared enough to keep quiet about me. I thought that they'd be glad to get rid of Crazy Sookie."

Sam shook his head no. "You're family, Sook. You won't be betrayed here. I won't allow it."

I reached across the desk and placed my hand on his. "Thanks, Sam. You're a great friend. I do appreciate you."

He sighed. "I know."

"What is he?" I asked as I removed my hand from his. "What's Quinn? I know that he's not a shifter like you. I could tell that he is something different. His mind is filled with blackness and snarls. He's scary."

"He's a were-tiger. As far as we know, he's the last one of his kind."

"Wow."

"If Eric gets his hands on him …"

"Sam," I began. "What things has Quinn done?"

He looked surprised when I asked him that. I guess he thought that I wouldn't ask him about Quinn's evil ways ... again.

"Jake, Trey, and Alcide told me that Quinn will do anything to get the job done; especially if the money's right. You seem to know more than you're willing to tell me and you know that you should tell me. So, what has he done?"

He began to shake his head. "I wish that you didn't need more in your life, Sookie. I wish that Merlotte's had been enough for you but I can understand why it isn't. I may understand and know why you need more but I don't like it. I worry about you every night. This world, my world, it is not for you. You're too good for it. It's going to change you."

"I'm going to be me, Sam," I assured him. "I'm always going to be me."

I could see on his face that he didn't believe that. I didn't either.

"Tell me," I said.

Sam stared at me for a long minute. He didn't want to tell me but he had no choice. He didn't want me to go in blind. He wants to keep me safe and if telling me the truth is going to keep me safe, he was going to tell me everything. "He's killed entire families to get what he wants. Husbands, wives ... children. He doesn't care. He doesn't value life. He's done things that others in the shifter world never think of doing. He has no limits. No boundaries." He dropped his head as he prepared himself to say what came next. And he still wasn't prepared. He looked at me and in a hushed voice, he said, "He loves it when his cases involve women. He kills the husbands last so that they can watch him defile their wives. He's depraved, Sookie. He has no conscience. Nothing disturbs him. _Nothing_."

I wasn't scared at first. That comment did it. I could only imagine what Sam meant by nothing disturbing Quinn. And I didn't want to imagine it.

"Your dad's right, Sookie," Sam said. "You can't go back to your place. You can't stay in your grandparents' home and you can't stay in any of my rentals. He'll find you and he will take you. You have to ask Eric to let you stay with him." I know that was hard for Sam to say but he said it. "This is your life now. Your world. You have to do what you need to do so that you can survive it."

Daddy's exact words.

Sam looked out the window behind him. "It's almost dark."

"I called and texted him to let him know where I am." I shook my head no. "I won't leave until he gets here."

Sam stood up from his desk. He ran his hand through his hair once more. "You can stay in my office if you want. I know that Quinn won't be back here but it's just an option, you know? I want to keep you safe. You're my friend and I do love you, Sookie."

"I know, Sam," I said. "And I love you too. Thanks for telling me the truth."

He walked from around his desk. He stopped by my chair and placed his hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

I nodded.

He gave my shoulder a squeeze before leaving his office.

I removed my notebook from my purse and wrote down everything that I'd learned tonight. I studied my scribbling and my only conclusion was that William hired Quinn to find out what he could about me. It had to be him. Who else would want to pay Quinn to take me? No other vampire knows about my telepathy. Only Eric and Pam knows what I can do. I haven't told any other vampires. Jake only found out tonight after we'd found Dawn. Alcide, Trey, and Colonel Flood don't know. But then it dawned on me. Why would William do that? He's only met me once and he's begging me to leave Eric to be with him. It doesn't make sense for him to hire someone to hurt me or my family. That's not the smartest way to win me over. I hope that he's not that stupid. After all, he is a king.

"Oh my goodness," I whispered.

Long Shadow knew. He knew that I'm a telepath. He could've told someone about me after he'd gotten off work that night. Why didn't I think of this before now? He knew. He was at the bar when I read the minds of the two girls that were to be interviewed. He asked me if was employed with Fangtasia. That had to be it. It wouldn't be unheard of since he'd already betrayed Eric and Pam. What would stop him from telling someone else about me? Or what if it was one of the girls? Maybe it didn't matter to Doreen that I'd helped her get on here at Merlotte's. Maybe she would've rather had the job at Fangtasia. But that didn't make sense to me. When I first got here, she hugged me and thanked me profusely for the job. I got nothing bad from the hug that we shared. And from what she's told me about Liza, she's working for a high-end clothing store in Bossier. She's dating the owner of the store now. She's no longer interested in becoming a vampire. She's happy and content with her human life.

My mind then began to go where I didn't it want it to.

Images of my mom flashed in my mind. I know that she's never been a mom to me but she wouldn't want anyone to hurt me … would she? She wouldn't do that. She wouldn't want some deranged lunatic to hurt me. She wouldn't want someone to do unimaginable things to me. Just as that thought entered my mind, my phone began to ring. It was her.

"Why do you have my number?" I asked. Yes, I had a salty tone. And yes, she earned it. "I didn't give it to you."

"Sookie," she began. She was sniffling. "I'm your mother. I'm supposed to have your number."

"What do you want?"

I could almost see the surprised look on her face. "Are you still upset about what happened with us today?"

I chuckled. "No. I haven't thought anymore about it."

She sniffled again. "Well, I am. I'm upset about what happened with us today. Earlier, I returned to see you but your guards wouldn't let me up. They said that I didn't let you know that I was coming." She paused briefly so that she could sniffle again. "Have you told them that I need to make an appointment to see you? Is that why I couldn't see you? You are my daughter, Sookie."

Trey and Alcide must know that something isn't right. Why else would they tell her that? And where was she now?

"Is it true, Sookie?" she snapped.

It never dawned on me that my mom hated me this much. I never thought that she'd set me up. I wanted to confront her with what I'd learned from dad and Sam. I wanted to scream into the phone that she was low-down, dirty b word. I wanted to tell her that I never wanted to see her again. I wanted to see her just so I can punch her in the jaw. I wanted to do all those things but I did none of those things. I played along.

I nodded my head. "Yeah," I said. "Yeah. It _is_ true."

"Why would you do that to me?" Her voice deepened and the sniffling stopped. "Let them know that you want to see me. I know that you aren't at home because your car wasn't there. Tell me where you are so that we can talk things over. I want a relationship with you. I want us to start over. I know that I was wrong for how I've treated you. Will you give me another chance?"

"I can't, mom," I said. "I don't have time for this. I'm working and I don't feel like arguing with you. Go home and get some rest and I'll see you some other time. I can't do this with you tonight. I have a life now that doesn't involve you. I thought that we'd established that earlier today."

There was a slight pause before spoke again. "I want to make our relationship better."

"Stop it. I don't believe you."

Her end went suddenly silent.

"I don't want a relationship with you," I assured her. "I'm done with this and I'm done with you. Goodnight, mom."

"Sookie."

I heard her yelling my name just as I ended the call. I know that I don't have to say this but she called me right back. I hit ignore and then I did it. Yes, my friends, I did it. I blocked her number from my phone. I smiled down at the screen as I stood from the chair. I needed to do that. And it felt great.

I checked the time and Eric should have been here by now. I texted him again to let him know that I was going to stay at the bar and wait for him to arrive. _We have a lot to discuss. You won't believe the things that I've found out today_.

 _I'll be there in 10_ , he replied. _Almost done at the bar_.

 _I'll be waiting_.

I walked out of Sam's office and stood in the hallway. I looked out at the customers and the staff and smiled. It melted my heart to know that they protected me and my secrets from Quinn. It made me feel welcome when I haven't felt welcome here in a very long time. I wanted to go out there and thank them. I was going to let them know that I appreciate what they did for me.

But I never got the chance to do that. A hand was soon covering my mouth and pulling me out the back door of Merlotte's.


	26. Chapter 26

**26**

 **It's Too Late for That**

 **Thank you, everyone for reading and reviewing. Thanks for making this story one of your favorites. And thank you for alerting as well as making a favorite author. That is amazing and freaking awesome.**

 **I hope that y'all enjoy. I hope that y'all have a great week. Oh, and soon, Sookie's dad will gain a bit of redemption. I promise.**

* * *

When I got to the bar this evening, I had another message from Bill waiting for me on my desk. Why am I not surprised? I stared at the envelope before opening it. I knew instantly why he'd sent me a message. I knew that it had to do with Sookie. I would normally be upset but I know that when it comes to Sookie, I have no reason to be upset. Though she is not yet my lover, I know that she is mine in every way. I chuckled as I sat at my desk and opened the envelop.

 _Good evening, Eric._

 _I meant to mention this to you last night but it slipped my mind. As you may have guessed, it is concerning your intriguing human. I noticed that Ms. Stackhouse left my business card on the table last night. I know that as your king, you will do as I ask. You will be sure to give her the card when she returns to work this evening. I want to make sure that she knows that I am and will be available to her whenever I am needed but only when you are not available to her. I implore you to not take this as a sign of disrespect. I want to make sure that Ms. Stackhouse has all that she needs and that she remains safe and knows that she is a priority in my kingdom._

 _Your king,_

 _William Compton, King of Louisiana_

I shook my head in utter disbelief. He doesn't believe in giving up. Why he belieaves he has a chance in hell with Sookie, I will never understand. She has given him no reason to believe that she he even has an inkling of a chance with her. His tenacity and the blatant disrespect for the relationship that I have with Sookie is completely astounding. He obviously has very little to no self-respect. Just as I placed the note in my desk, there was a knock at my door. I knew who it was. "Enter, Palomino."

She came into my office with her head down. She closed the door silently behind her. She stood behind the chair with her hands resting on the back of it. Her shame was clearly on her face. "Good evening, Sheriff," she whispered. Her head was still bowed.

"Sit," I ordered.

"Yes, Sheriff."

Her head was still bowed when she sat down.

"Look at me," I ordered her. "Do not cower before me. I have never given you cause to, so do not do it now."

Her back straightened as she looked me in my eyes. "Forgive me, Sheriff. You have always been good to me but my head wasn't bowed because of fear. It was because of shame."

I could see the honesty in her eyes. Yet and still, it wasn't enough. "And your shame is justified. Why would you give him, our king, any information about Sookie?"

Palomino appeared to be stumped by the question. She said as much. "I don't understand the question, Sheriff."

"Why. Would. You. Give. Him. Any. Information. About. Sookie." I rested my arms on the desk as I stared at her. "Was that simpler for you? Did you understand that?"

The look on her face told me that I should already know the answer to that question. "She is an employee and he is the king. The king asked for a list of your employees. I did what he requested of me. I had no choice in the matter, Sheriff. I didn't tell him that Sookie was working for you to look for Pam. I told him that she works at the bar. I told him that all I know is that she's yours. I didn't tell him anything else about her because I know nothing else of her. He didn't believe me."

"Explain," I ordered.

"He asked me who she was and how you'd met her," she began. "I showed him the ad that Pam put in the paper hiring for help. He asked me why you would want a human working so closely with you. I told him that I didn't know. I told him that I'm just the bartender and that's it. I told him that you don't share those things with me. That is something that you and Pam did together. Hire her, I mean. He is fully aware that I know nothing of her."

I believed her. I've known Palomino for many years and she's always been an honest vampire. In our world, that's quite the rarity. Because she's lost her maker, Heidi, during the attack on Pam's home, I know that she will do what's necessary to find her maker's killer. She would have turned over every name she had if she believed that it would help find her maker's killer. There is no deceit in her eyes. She is loyal. That's how Heidi raised her to be. And to preserve her maker's legacy, that's how she will remain.

My phone began to play _Camptown Races_. I eyed Palomino as I answered it. She dropped her head as to hide her smile. My underlings always find my choice of ringtones amusing. I looked down to see that it was Sookie. She was letting me know that she is done meeting with Sam and she will wait for me at the bar.

Once I'd replied to her message and tucked my phone into my pocket, I looked at my underling and said, "All questions about Sookie are to be referred to me. I don't care who asks you about her, you talk about her to no one. Speak of her again to anyone and you will be punished."

"Yes, Sheriff," she replied.

I stood from my desk and led the young vampire from my office. As I walked out into the bar, it felt good to see that the bar was filled with patrons. The drinks were flowing and the dance floor was packed. It's always nice to make extra money. Pam will enjoy the shopping spree that I will take her on once I have her back with me. All of that aside, there is one thing that I hate. I hate it when vampires come to my bar requesting to meet with me and they haven't made an appointment. Like now, for instance.

"Eric," Victor Madden announced as he walked towards me. He had two other vampires with him. I could only assume that they were his bodyguards. The weaklings always need bodyguards. Victor is no exception. "How have you been, old friend?"

Victor and I have never been friends. We have never been associates. I have never cared for him. Victor is a vampire of low standards and even lower morals. He has no concept to the meaning of honesty or integrity. Victor is out for Victor and to hell with anyone and everyone else. He opened a bar just on the outer edge of my area in the hopes of seeing me fail. He believed that he could close me down and take me for everything that I've ever worked to have. Alas, _he_ has failed.

"Victor," I replied as he stopped in front of me. "Why are you here? Are you looking for your patrons? Or maybe you need tips on how to run a thriving business. If that is what you seek, you will not find it here."

He laughed. "No, I am not. As a matter of fact, I'm doing fine. My business is doing fine. All is well in my world," he replied. "Not that you seem to care."

"I do not," I assured him.

He walked to a table and pointed at the seat. "Do you mind?"

"As a matter of fact, I do."

Victor unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat down anyway. I wanted to kill him but because has done nothing to warrant death, I could not. He looked up at me and smiled. "Come on, Eric," he said. "Sit down. I just want to talk. It's about your child."

"What about her?" I asked as I remained standing.

He unnecessarily cleared his throat before speaking. "I want to offer you my condolences. I'm sorry to hear about your vampires and Pam. I know how it is to lose a child. I know what you must be feeling."

His easy words did nothing to ease my suspicions of him. I know that he's up to something. I'm at a loss as to what it could be.

"Your silence lets me know that you don't trust me," he finally deduced.

"You are correct, Victor." I looked at the clock on the wall behind his head. "Do not come to my bar with this bullshit story. I know what type you are, Victor. Tell me why you are here. You are making me late for _planned_ obligations. I have people to see, places to be … other things that I must attend to tonight. You weren't on the list of _things_ that I need to get done."

A knowing smile appeared on Victor's face. "The people that you must see," he began. "It wouldn't have the blonde minx with whom you've been keeping company, would it? I hear that she's quite the eye candy. I've heard that you have taken quite the shine to her." He began to look around the bar. "I would love to meet her." He then looked up at me and asked, "Where is she?"

I said nothing.

"I take it that I won't be meeting her."

I glared at the vampire. "Now."

"As you wish," he said as he tugged at his suit jacket. "I've come to offer you my condolences and support in finding your child. As I previously said, I know what you must be feeling. Having to go through such a loss has to be heartbreaking."

I've known of Victor Madden for many years and not once have I heard mention of a child. It has always been believed that he is far too selfish of his life and blood to make another life. He would never want to be responsible for another. He's killed many vampires because they got in his way or because they had something that he wanted. No. Victor wasn't there to see me to offer me kindness. He was there to gloat.

"I don't need you or your assistance, Victor. I more than have everything under control on my end," I assured him. "If you're done." I made a move to leave Victor behind but he stopped me.

"There is something else," he said to me.

"What is it, Victor?"

He stared up at me as if he was still expecting me to sit down. I remained standing. He decided to follow suit. He pulled his suit jacket tight just before buttoning it. "I hear tell that the king was in your bar last night. I hear that he has offered to help you with seeking vengeance against those that have taken Pam from you. Is that true?"

My interests in Victor's visit suddenly peaked. "Why do you care? Are you afraid? Do you have something to hide?"

Instead of answering the question, he laughed. "It just surprises considering he's never been the type to help anyone else unless there's something in it for him. I'm assuming that there's something you have that he wants. I can't help but wonder what it is."

Stepping in closer to Victor, I asked, "That's why you're here? To question the reasons why the king has offered his assistance? When he returns, I will be sure to let him know of your distrust of him and his actions. I'm sure it's something that he'd like to know since you are living in his state."

A bit of his smugness slowly faded away. "Oh, don't get me wrong, Northman. I trust our king. I trust him wholeheartedly and explicitly. It surprises me that he's offered to help you with finding Pam." He glanced down at the table before glaring at me. "I will take my leave."

"Good," I replied.

I watched Victor as he began walking away. He stopped for a moment and with his back to me, he said, "There's no reason why you have to mention our conversation to the king. I only wanted to be a good neighbor and friend and offer my help. You do understand, don't you?"

"I do."

Glancing at me over his shoulder, he said, "Between us then?"

"Goodbye, Victor."

He chuckled before he and his goons began to walk away. "Eric."

"Victor?" I called after him.

They stopped and turned to look at me. "Yes, Eric," Victor answered.

"You would not have the nerve to betray me, would you?" I asked. "You have no cause to want to take my child, do you?"

"I would never," he protested. He almost looked appalled at the very idea. "I have no cause to take Pam away from you. Everyone in the vampire world knows what she means to you. I am the last vampire with whom you should be concerned."

I walked to where he stood. "Let's hope that you are speaking the truth."

He laughed. "Good evening, Eric."

I didn't believe him at all but there was nothing that I could do … not yet. I let my underlings know that I had a meeting to attend. "I will return later. Thalia will be here in an hour and she will be in charge. Do as you're told and you will survive the night." I left without saying another word.

I'd planned on driving my car but it didn't come to be. I could feel Sookie's fear and extreme anger. I took to the sky to get to my future lover's side. She hasn't been in this world, the supe world, long enough to have to fear for her life. No one knows what she can do. Her secrets are safe with me and I'm sure that her family wouldn't betray her. I had to get to her as quickly as I possibly could.

Twenty minutes. It took twenty minutes for me to get to her when I told her that I'd be there in ten. Fucking Victor Madden. I should've left him. I shouldn't have given him my time. I should've turned him away and made him make an appointment like the rest of the underlings in my area.

I followed her emotions to the wooded area behind the shifter's bar. The muffled sounds of Sookie called to me. The smell of fresh blood permeated the air as well but it was not the sweet smell that is Sookie. Knowing that it wasn't hers filled me with relief. I landed with a thud in the wooded area and there she was. She was underneath the body of a big, bald man. He was no longer moving but she was. She was stabbing and crying.

"Sookie," I said as I approached her.

Quinn still had the knife in the side of his neck when she looked at me. She sobbed as she tried to push him off her. It was obvious that she didn't have the strength to move him but she tried. I rolled the body off her and stared down at her. Her arms were now out at her side as she squeezed her eyes closed and cried. Her eye was swollen and her lip was bloodied. Her dress had been ripped open but the rest of her was intact. He didn't defile her. I looked at the now dead man and wanted to kill him all over again.

John Quinn.

I lifted Sookie from the ground and carried her into the back room of the bar. Taking my phone from my pocket, I called the shifter. "Come to your office."

Sam was with us in seconds. He saw who I was holding and ran to where we were. He reached for her but I turned away. He wasn't worthy of touching her. "What happened?" he asked as he looked up at me.

I held her closer to my body. "That is what I was going to ask you. She said that she was going to stay inside until I arrived. I found her out in the woods with a dead man on top of her."

"Quinn?" he asked. His voice was soft and fearful.

"Yes," I hissed.

Sam winced as he looked at her. "She was in my office when I left her. She was going to stay in here and wait for you. She came here to question me about Quinn. He'd cornered her earlier today at the police station."

I listened as Sam filled me on what happened with Sookie and Quinn earlier today. Someone hired Quinn to take her. To harm her. And I knew that it wasn't Bill. He wouldn't cause harm to someone or something that he wants and he wants Sookie. Someone knows what she is and what she can do. That someone wants her for themselves. I couldn't help but wonder once more why Victor came to my bar.

"What about her family?" I asked the shifter. "Are they aware of what's going on?"

He nodded. "Yeah," he said. "They were supposed to keep their distance of Sookie. They wanted the perp to think that Sookie has been cut off from her family because of her life with the vampires. They were to have no contact with her. Everyone followed through. Everyone but her mom."

Anger filled me as Sam told me about the impromptu visit that Sookie's mom made to her apartment today. She knew that Sookie was in danger and she still went to her home. The woman willingly put her daughter in danger. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," Sam admitted. "But look, Eric. She can't go home. If her mom is behind this, who's to say what's waiting for her at home. I spoke with her dad earlier tonight and he wants her to stay with you. If someone is trying to get to her, she can't go home. Even if she has guards, there's no guarantee that they will survive who's after her. She needs to be with you. I agree with her dad. She needs to stay with you until this situation has been resolved."

I looked down at Sookie as I held her in my arms. "Were her guards with her when she arrived this evening?"

Sam nodded. "She sent them away. She told them that she wasn't going to leave the bar until you got here. She told that they needed to get ready for tonight." He stared into my eyes and asked, "What's happening, Eric? What have you gotten her into?"

"Don't concern yourself with that, Shifter," I stated.

"If you do anything to hurt her …"

Sookie shifting in my arms interrupted his ridiculous comment. "I will contact you soon. I must get her to safety."

"Yeah," Sam said. "What about Quinn's body? Do you want me to get rid of it?"

I shook my head no. "I'll send one of my underlings to get it. I feel that we're going to need it."

Without waiting for a response, I left the bar and took to the air. I carried Sookie to my home.

* * *

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Sookie came into the living room wearing my robe. The swelling of her eye was going to look worse in the morning. Her busted lip was going to be even worse. It caused me great pain to see her in such a way. "I wish that I could …," I began.

She shook her head no. "But you can't do that."

"I know."

She me gave me a half-hearted shrug and a smile. "Thank you for coming to get me. I wasn't sure that you'd had enough of my blood to find me."

I touched my heart and said, "You are here now. I will always feel you."

A look of relief appeared on her face as she smiled at me. She was soon sitting on the couch with me and resting her head on my shoulder. "I didn't know if I could do it. I didn't know if I could kill him."

I wrapped my arms around her. "This is my fault. I was late. I should've come sooner. If only I'd …"

She looked up at me. "Don't blame yourself. You wouldn't have made it on time either way. He had me." She rested her head back on my shoulder as she began to tell me what happened. "I was going to go out in the bar with Sam and wait for you there. I didn't want to be alone in his office. I was going get an order of fries and wait. He grabbed me from behind and pulled me from the bar. I tried to scream but his hands … his hand was so tight over my mouth. He was so strong, Eric. He was _so_ strong. He didn't remove it until he had me in the woods."

' _I told you that I only wanted to get to know you. You decided to play hard to get. Did you think that faery was going to keep me from getting to you? Is that what you thought? You poor, dumb girl. You were wrong. I still want to get to know you.' Quinn began to nuzzle her neck. 'Is that okay with you? Can I get to know you now?'_

 _She fought against him but he was just too strong. His arms tightened around her. 'What do you want from me?'_

' _You and everything that you have to offer,' he whispered in her ear. "You are a very popular young lady. It seems that you should've been the one that was taken instead. You have so much more to offer."_

 _Sookie took in what he'd said. The person that has taken Pam now wanted her. They know what she can do. They know that she's a telepath. Someone has told what she can do. Her thoughts went to her mom. She wanted to know what was in Quinn's mind but she couldn't tell. Her fear was getting in the way._

" _Please let me go," she begged._

 _Quinn laughed in her ear. "Nope," he declared. He closed his eyes as he began to rub himself against her. She glanced at him over her shoulder and that's when she made her move. She stomped his foot and elbowed him as hard as she could in his stomach. She then turned around and kneed him his treasure chest. When he went down, she went running._

"I got him good," she told me. "I wanted to laugh when he dropped to his knees and howled out in pain but I didn't have time for that." She looked at me from the corner of eye and said, "The look on his face was quite funny."

Even after all she's been through, she finds humor in the worst situations.

The need for humor was quickly gone. She scooted in closer to me as she verbally shared her fear with me. "I ran as hard as I could, Eric. I ran as fast and as hard as I could but he got me," she whispered.

' _Sookie!' Quinn yelled after her. 'You're not going to get away from me! I will get you!'_

 _She looked behind her because he knew that he was right. He was going to get her if she didn't run faster. She needed to see how close he was to her. As soon as she looked back, she knew that it was a mistake. If she hadn't looked, she may not have fallen. She tried getting up but she couldn't. She thought of the many times she would yell at the dumb blondes in the scary movies. She would yell for them to get up. She always thought that they had more than enough time to get up. She always thought that they'd gotten what they'd deserved because they didn't try hard enough to get up. She knew know that she was wrong. She tried crawling away but it didn't work. He was soon on her._

"If I hadn't looked behind me, he may not have gotten me," she said. "I should've ran harder … faster but I didn't, Eric. That's why he got me. He was on my back quicker than I would've thought possible. He had me." She sniffled as her breathing became hurried.

 _Quinn had his arm wrapped around her waist as he pulled her closer to him; grinding harder against her. He pressed her tighter against him as he moaned. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, 'You shouldn't have done that. You don't know this but I like the chase. It makes it so much more fun for me. For you, not so much. Forgive me if I get a little rough.'_

 _Sookie was determined that she wasn't going to go down without a fight. She wasn't going to let him take her. She wasn't for him and he wasn't going to have her. She reached behind her and elbowed him in the jaw twice in the hopes that he'd loosen his grip. She only needed a little give and she could get away. Just a little give._

 _It didn't work._

 _He flipped her over and punched and slapped her in the face as hard as he could. He believed that he'd knock her out but he didn't. She still couldn't go out like that. She's a fighter. She lay there as he ripped the top her dress open. He smiled as he looked down at her … rubbing his hand against himself. "Beautiful and a virgin," he said. "This is my lucky night."_

' _Don't do this,' she begged him. 'I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I'll tell you what I can do and what I am. Whatever you need of me, I will do. I will help you. Please don't do this me. You don't have to do this to me. Whatever you want to know, I'll tell you. Please.'_

 _Smiling down at her, Quinn said, 'It's too late for that.'_

 _And that's when she heard the voice._

" _You have your weapons, Sookie. Use them.' It was Claudine. Her faery godmother. 'Don't succumb to this. You're a Brigant. We don't give up. Don't let him take what he doesn't deserve. You are not meant for him. Give him what he's earned.'_

"As he began to fiddle with his belt buckle, I slowly placed my hand under the side of my dress and I felt for my sheath. Just as he began to remove his pants, I took my knife and stabbed him in the neck." She sat up and stared at nothing. "He was so surprised after I stabbed him. He grabbed the side of his neck with one hand. I thought that he would give up but he didn't, Eric. He continued to try and rip my dress off me. I continued to stab. The knife went through his hand and back into his neck and that's when I held on tight and twisted the knife as deeply as I could." She mumbled something incoherently as she looked down at her hands. "I killed him. I didn't want to kill him but I had no choice. I had to." She looked at me and asked, "You know that I had no choice, right? You know that I had to?"

"You had no choice," I assured her. "You did what you had to do."

She looked at me. Tears streaming down her cheeks. "I killed him. He fell on top of me and I couldn't stop stabbing him. I wanted him dead for what he tried to do to me. And now he is." She sighed as she wiped the tears from her face. A look of determination appeared on her face. "I killed him."

I cupped her face in my hand and kissed her forehead. "I wish that you didn't have to do that. You should have never had to go through that … to do that. You shouldn't have had to kill."

She looked at me and smiled. "It's too late for that."

In her eyes, I could still see the girl that walked into my bar that first night. She was still excited and anxious to start working her new job. She wanted to help those that needed her. She wanted to do what was right regardless of what it meant for her. I could still see the determination in her eyes. She is determined to do what's right. Even after all that she's been through, I could see the same wide-eyed, excited girl that walked into my bar.

"It's too late for that," I agreed. "Sookie, Sam told me that you would need a place to stay for a while because of what's happened with Quinn."

She shook her head no. "We don't have to talk about that right now. We need to go and meet the Colonel after, right? He did call you, didn't he?"

"He did."

Her eyes dropped to her hands once again.

I could tell that there was more going on with Sookie. I wanted to ask her but her anguish stopped me. Something was hurting her but she couldn't bring herself to tell me. I didn't want to pry because of what she'd been through tonight but mark my words, I am going to find out.

"When you're ready, I'm here."

She tried to smile but failed.

"Sookie," I began.

She stood up from the couch and smoothed her hands over the front of the robe. "I need to go home so that I can get some clothes. I have to get ready for our big meeting tonight." She smiled once again. "This is going to be so exciting. We are going to be one step closer to finding out who took Pam. She'll be back home before you know it. She'll be back home and scaring the heck out of anyone that gets in her way. Or even if they don't get in her way."

I knew that before I said it, she was going to say no but I said it anyway. "You don't have to go. We can handle Dawn on our own."

"Pshaw," she said. "I do have to go. It's part of my job. I'm not going to let them stop us from finding Pam. And anyway, Jake and I captured her. I can't let him have all of the glory, now can I?" She winked at me. "Come on. And since we're talking about our enemies, what's up with all of those boxes?"

Keeping her in a calming mood, I said, "I felt that you needed something to keep you busy."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You got that all wrong, buddy. _We_ are going to be busy. There's no way in the world I'm reading all that stuff by myself." She looked up at me and said, "William is the most boring king in history so far and I haven't even read past the first three pages. I'm not sure if I can handle it all on my own. The agony of it all." She reached for my hand as we prepared to leave. "I can only imagine what he's like when he's all business. I'm _so_ looking forward to tonight."

Following her from the living room, I laughed. I played along with her. I wanted her to think that everything that happened tonight had been forgotten. It has not. I will find out who has done this to her and they will pay with their life. There will be no mercy.

It's too late for that.


	27. Chapter 27

**27**

 **The Drive, The Sharing, and The Random Thoughts**

 **Surprise, everyone. I have to post this chapter sooner than expected. I have been working on editing this chapter because for the next two weeks, I'll be in training and I won't be able to work on the story. I've also made it extra-long so that maybe it'll tide y'all over until I return. I'll work on the chapter while I'm in my hotel room but I won't have time to post it. As always, thank y'all for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and alerting this story. Y'all are wonderful. Have a great weekend and 4** **th** **of July.**

 **The story idea is mine but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

* * *

I wondered if vampires ever get cold. Have you ever wondered that? I never thought about it until tonight. I know that it's summertime but with the speed that Eric is driving, I'm about to freeze to death. The jacket that he gave me to wear is doing very little to keep me warm. Because he'd left the corvette at the bar, he decided to drive his Porsche. He asked if I'd mind riding with the top down and I said no. And I meant it … at first. I honestly had no idea that it could be this cold on an August night but he didn't seem to notice. He was sitting in the driver's seat looking straight ahead. His beautiful hair flying helplessly behind him. His handsome face was as blank as ever. I wondered what he was thinking because I could feel what he was feeling. He was feeling anger, rage, and guilt. Guilt was the strongest emotion of them all. I don't like that he's blaming himself for what Quinn did to me or tried to do to me. It's not his fault. He had no way of knowing what was going to happen. I'm more than sure that he would have protected me. I just wish that he knew that.

I glanced at him and his face told me nothing. It was cold and hard. His eyes were raging and staring at nothing as he drove us to meet with the king. I looked out into the night as we sped along. The downtown area was bright because of the streetlights and the beautiful moon. People were still walking the streets. Some were laughing. Some appeared to be on dates. Others were talking on their cell phones as they hurried along. I wondered what their lives were like. I wondered if any of them felt as I do. I wondered if they ever felt that they needed more out of their lives or if they were content with how things are. Were they happy with their jobs? Did they ever wonder what it would be like if they were single or married? Did they want more or did they have enough? I used to believe that I could walk through this life and be content with what I had. At one time, I was going to force myself to go with the norm even though I'm not a part of that norm. I used to think that I could marry a guy like Sam and be content in my life. I thought that I wanted the 2.5 children and the white picket fence. I believed that I didn't need the adventure or the excitement. I could serve fried pickles and iced tea all day and night and everything would be okay. I'm so glad that I didn't settle for less than what I deserve. If I had, I wouldn't know what I know now.

"You know what?" I asked him.

He answered by looking at me.

"I'm going to share things with you tonight and what I'm going to say, I don't want them to change what we have," I said. "I want you to still be my friend. They won't change us?"

For the first time since we've been in the car, I could see something on his face. That something was concern. "No," he whispered. "There is nothing that you could tell me that would change us. You have my word."

I sighed as I began to speak. "What Quinn did to me isn't the first time something like that has happened to me. When I was nine, my uncle tried it too. Gran's brother tried to rape me. Or he'd at least planned on it." Afraid to look at him, I stared out the window as I talked. "I hated it when _he_ would come to Gran's for Sunday dinner. _He_ used to always want me to sit on _his_ lap but I wouldn't do it. I would always run to my grandpa. Grandpa would drape his arm over my shoulder and make _him_ leave me alone. Grandpa told me this one time that he notices how I change when _he_ comes around. Grandpa asked me why." I shook my head no as I remembered. "I wouldn't tell him but I think he knew why. Deep down, he knew why. Grandpa always made it a point to be at home when _he_ would come for Sunday dinner. Except for this one time."

A scary noise built up in Eric's chest. The car began to go faster as his anger filled us and it soothed me. It made me feel safe.

I dropped my head as I steadied myself for what I was about to tell Eric. I almost thought against it but I wanted to share my experiences with him. They haven't always been the best experiences but they're mine. And now that I have the chance to share my life with someone, I don't want them to be mine anymore. I turned to face him as I spoke. "On that last Sunday, I was out back in the treehouse that grandpa had built for me and Jason." I began to smile. "It was really for me because it was pink with white shutters and the placard that hung over the door read 'Sookie' in big white and pink letters. It was beautiful. Grandpa built it with his own two hands. He said that it was mine but we'd tell Jason that it was his too so that he wouldn't feel left out. He never wanted to use it because it was pink. Jason said that it was too girly for him to hang out in. I was glad. I didn't want him in there anyway. It was great that I had a place of my own and I was nine years old. It was _so_ great. I was the only nine-year-old girl in Bon Temps with her own house. I was fancy."

Eric smiled briefly as he weaved in and out of traffic.

"Well, anyway," I continued. "I was in there playing on that last Sunday. It was the Sunday that grandpa had to go visit his family. He left on Tuesday but promised me that he'd be back that Sunday before dinner. He told me that if he wasn't home by the time _he_ arrived, I could wait for him in the treehouse. He said that he'd be there to get me just as soon as he got back. He'd pop right in and we'd go and eat dinner together. So, that's what I did. I always felt safe in the treehouse." I wiped a few wayward tears from my face.

"I was sitting on the little couch, listening to my radio and playing with my doll that day. When I heard the door open, I thought it was Jason but it wasn't. It was _him_. And I had nowhere to go." I shook my head and said, "I was in a tree. I couldn't jump and I sure couldn't fly. _He_ sat down on my couch next to me. _He_ patted his lap and told me to have a seat. I said no. You know, to this day, I blame myself because I should've heard _him_ coming and I didn't hear _him_. I could always hear _his_ thoughts but not that day and I can't figure out why."

Eric figured out for me. "You felt safe. You were in your safe zone. There was no reason for you to believe that anything would happen to you."

"Hmm," I said. I looked at him and nodded. "You're probably right. Nothing ever happened to me when I was in the treehouse. I always felt safe there. It was mine and grandpa built it just for me. I never thought of that. Thank you."

He said nothing.

I continued to share. " _He_ touched my leg," I said. "I jumped up and ran to the other side of the treehouse as fast as my little legs could carry me. I ran to the corner and cried. When _he_ began walking towards me, I pressed my body into the corner and _begged_ _him_ to leave but _he_ wouldn't go. _He_ was smiling as _he_ approached me. _He_ was smiling down at me as I cried."

Eric roared out in anger as he sped faster down the long stretch of road. He was swerving in and out of traffic. He was driving so fast that I couldn't tell if we were on the road alone or not. Yet and still, I wasn't afraid.

I closed my eyes as relived that moment. " _He_ kneeled down in front of me. _He_ had the nerve to tell me that I didn't have to be afraid of _him_. _He_ only wanted to love me as uncles love their nieces. I could see in _his_ mind what _he_ wanted from me and it terrified me. _He_ reached out to touch me and nothing. Nothing happened."

Eric turned to look at me.

" _He_ never got to _try_ and touch me again," I said. "My grandpa showed up at that exact moment. _He_ never knew what hit him. My grandpa had me in his arms and out of that treehouse in seconds. Grandpa carried me into the house. Gran and daddy ran over to see what was wrong. He told them that I'd fallen off the ladder. He said that he was going to get me cleaned up and put me to bed." I began to chuckle. "He'd gone so far as to smear dirt over my legs and on my dress and they believed him. Gran and daddy offered to take care of me but grandpa wouldn't let them. He took care of me. Gran went back to cooking dinner while daddy continued watching sports. He put me to bed and waited for me to tell him everything that _he'd_ ever tried to do to me. And I did." I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess killing Quinn made me think about _him_. Gosh. I hadn't thought of _him_ in years. I haven't said _his_ name since that day." I whispered as I said, "It's been over twenty years."

"Is he still alive?"

I shook my head no. "Grandpa killed _him_ that day. I don't know if he killed _him_ when he hit _him_ while we were in the treehouse or if he killed _him_ after. I know that he was laid out on the floor. I don't think grandpa would have killed _him_ in front of me. I just know that I never saw _him_ again after that. I didn't have dinner with the family that night. I didn't want to. Anyway, since he was a known drunk and a heavy smoker, no one suspected a thing when he burned up in it … in the treehouse, I mean. The family believed that he'd gone to the treehouse to have a few drinks since Gran wouldn't let him drink in the house. She didn't want him drinking around her grandchildren. Or smoking for that matter. She was always worried about us getting bronchitis."

I shrugged my shoulders before continuing. "Before it burned down, grandpa came into my room and closed my blinds. He said that I needed to rest. He kissed my forehead and told me that he loves me. No one saw grandpa leave the house but me. He popped himself from my room and to the treehouse. He was back in the house with us before anyone knew anything. Soon after, the treehouse burned down. Gran thought that I'd be sad to have lost my treehouse but I wasn't. I was glad that it was gone. I would have never used it again. I wouldn't have been able to … not after that."

Eric slowed the car down. "Does Gran know what happened to her brother?"

"Yeah," I responded. "Grandpa would never hide anything like that from her. He told her after my parents went home. After she learned of what he tried to do to me, she wasn't upset that he was dead. She wanted to kill him all over again. My grandparents have always loved me. Especially my grandpa. He's my biggest fan."

He frowned but I couldn't figure out why. Well, that is until he spoke. "Your mom was there? She didn't come to you as your grandfather carried you up the stairs … crying? She knew that you were crying and she didn't care?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I've never been one of her favorite people," I shared.

"She's your mother."

"Maybe she doesn't realize it." I looked down at my phone and stared at it. I unblocked my mom's number and just stared at it. "At first, I thought that it was just Long Shadow. I say that because when you first hired me, those girls that Pam was supposed to send away were waiting for me. They were harassing me and saying that I did things with you to get the job. I wanted to let them know that I'm not that type of girl. I would never do anything like that for a job."

I could almost feel Eric's body tense from the other side of the car. "You used your gift."

"I used my gift," I agreed. "I wasn't thinking. I should have known that it started with Long Shadow. As soon as I finished my demonstration for the girls, he asked if was working for you. I told him yes. And he had to have thought something was up when you protected me from that guy that was about to slap me. I go back to that night and I realize that he was watching you as you talked with me while we stood at the bar. 20/20 is hindsight, right? It didn't dawn on me until tonight that the little bit that he knew about me could have been given to the vampire that took Pam. He could've given them my name and that's all they would've needed to find me. There aren't too many Stackhouses in Louisiana. They only needed one person to betray me. Just one."

"Your mom." He stared ahead as the reality of what he'd said sunk in.

"My mom," I whispered.

He looked at me full on. "How can you be sure of this?"

"She was working with Quinn," I clarified.

His knuckles whitened as they gripped the steering wheel.

I nodded my head. "When I wrapped my free arm around Quinn as I was killing him, I could see her talking to him. My mom was giving him information about me. She didn't hire him. She didn't have the money to do that. Someone else did but she's helping them." I looked at Eric as I continued. "She told them about me … about what I can do. She gave them a picture of me. They know what I look like. They know that I work for you."

"Who all knows?"

I shook my head as I said, "I don't know." I chuckled. "She must really hate me."

I could feel Eric's eyes on me.

I turned to look out the window. "She's always been like that with me but not with my brother. When I was a little girl, she wouldn't hug me or kiss me goodnight. She wouldn't tuck me in unless dad made her do it. She thinks that I'm a stain on our family. Do you know what it's like to be four years old and to know that your mom wishes every day that you'd never been born? I do but it's not something that you can put into words, you know?" I looked at Eric and sighed. "I'm so glad that you don't know what that's like."

The car slowed down a little more as I talked. The red taillights of the cars ahead of us were clear enough for me to see now. "I tried to block her thoughts out but I never could." I turned slightly so that I could see him and said, "I had the ability to do it. My grandpa had taught me how to do it but when it came to my mom, I never could block out her thoughts."

"Why?"

"Don't think that I'm crazy but I used to hope that one day, I'd do something good enough for her to think something nice of me. I wasn't a difficult child. I didn't want much. Just one nice thought, " I shared. I turned back to look out the window. "That day never came. It never will."

The Louisiana trees looked beautiful tonight. Everything looked so beautiful and different for some reason. The oleanders seemed to be brighter and prettier. They were probably even a bit deadlier than they used to be. The pine and oak trees seemed to stand taller and looked even bigger … if that's even possible. The scent of the pine seemed to be stronger tonight. The tangled overgrowth seemed to be fighting to get closer to the edge of the road. They wanted to be seen and admired too. Everything wants to be seen and admired tonight. I didn't know where we were but the only light in the sky was the moon and it made everything even more appealing and beautiful. Everything that the moonlight touched was amazingly stunning.

"My dad was never my hero," I shared. "He would stand up for me … at times but not enough. It always came back to mom. He loves her and she is the love of his life. I never understood why he stayed with her. I don't get why she is so much more important that I am. He tried, though. He did. Don't get me wrong," I hurriedly added. "I'm not condoning that he stands by her when she's wrong. I'm just saying that I understand."

His face was even colder and harder when he spoke. "I do not."

"He loves me," I said. "He just doesn't love me enough." Now that broke my heart.

I closed my eyes and inhaled the scents of the night and listened to the sounds of the owls and the crickets. I've always loved the sounds of the night. They don't compare to what the daytime has to offer but at night, these creatures can be free. They can be who they are. They don't have to hide. They can linger in the shadows as they bathe in the moonlight.

"I don't love her anymore," I whispered. "And I'm not sad about it and that makes me sad." I looked at Eric full on this time. I turned to face him. "I feel nothing for her. I thought that I would be sad but I'm not. I think that's another reason why I agreed to keep my face battered and bruised. I wanted to look at myself and feel something for what she helped do to me. I thought that maybe I'd cry or call her and beg her to tell me why she's done this to me but no. I don't need an explanation. I feel nothing. No sadness. No pain … well, a little pain."

Still driving but at a slower speed, Eric asked, "What does that mean?" His question was a loaded one and if I was a different person, I'd want take him up on his offer.

"It means that I want her to suffer in life," I said. "I don't want her to die. I want her to live her life feeling the way she's made me feel. I want her to feel as she's made me feel my entire life." I suddenly felt ashamed of what I'd said. I looked down at my lap and closed my eyes as I wished that I could take those words back.

"No," Eric stated firmly. "Do not feel bad for what you are feeling. Whatever you feel for your mother, she deserves. I have known you for less than a month and I can see the goodness in you. Your light and your heart are beautiful. You are beautiful and it's not just on the surface, Sookie. You are an amazing person. And I am honored to have been given this chance to know you."

I leaned over and kissed him. "I am the one that's honored." For the rest of the drive, I held his hand in mine.

* * *

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

* * *

When Eric drove us to huge metal gates, I realized that we weren't anywhere near the warehouse. We had to have been further out. It made me wonder if we were going to be able to question Dawn tonight. There is no way Dawn was behind those gates. Jake and I wouldn't have been permitted to come within thirty miles of this place. You should've seen it. Thick stucco walls were on either side of the metal gates and they were about fifteen feet tall. There were these huge hulking vampire guards standing outside of them. Watching. Waiting. I swallowed down my tongue _and_ my heart when they approached the car. I'd never seen scarier looking vampires in my life.

"Is this the king's home?" I whispered.

"Yes, and those are his guards. They are always out here and they are always ready," Eric informed me. "You have nothing to fear. You are safe here and you are safe with me."

"I know," I commented. "I don't doubt that."

One of the vampires tapped on the window. Eric lifted his hand as to tell him that he was going to wait. The vampire stepped away from the car and crossed his arms behind his back and waited. "Don't be afraid."

I couldn't believe that I'd agreed to meet with William. "I'm not. I just can't believe that I'm doing this. I don't like him and I sure don't want his help. I don't trust him, Eric. He's always trying to plant doubt about you in my mind. I don't like it."

"Neither do I," he stated. "We need to meet with Bill and you know it. We need his help."

I knew it but that didn't mean that I wanted to do it. I sulked as I said, "I know."

He stared at me and said, "We can put this off if you want. We don't have to meet with him tonight. We can arrange to meet him another day if that's what you prefer. I do not want to cause you more stress. You've already suffered enough trauma. I don't want to add more to it but after what Quinn did to you, the king needs to be made aware." He paused as he looked at me. "He needs to see the damage that has been done to you."

I could tell that there was more.

"The person that hired Quinn will tell their boss that the tiger is missing," he said. "The culprit could possibly contact the king to let him know. They could say that he was last seen in my bar. I would pay the price. We must get to the king before they do. We need to let him know what happened. We need to let him see your face. He must smell the scent of the tiger on your clothes. If the king is going to help us, he can possibly get the information a lot sooner than we can. But the choice is yours, Sookie. Just say the word and we'll go back."

I glanced in the backseat at the bag of ripped clothes that I'd worn earlier this evening. It all made perfect sense and I know that Eric is right in everything that he said. "If the person calls the king looking for Quinn, they're probably the one that hired him." I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Great idea."

"Are you sure that you want to do this?"

"I'm not." I then looked down at my dress and back at Eric. "Do I look okay? I had another dress that I could've worn but I didn't want to waste it on him. I don't like the way he looks at me. I think he might be a pervert."

"You look beautiful," he said as he laughed. "You'll be fine if you stay close to me. And you will stay close to me."

"Yes," I promised. "I'm not going anywhere."

Eric stared at me for a long minute as he came to some resolution that I was not aware of. He let down his window before raising his hand and motioning for the guard to come back to the car.

Two of the guards approached the car. They were speaking to Eric in hushed tones. A third guard approached the car and was looking at me. He closed his eyes and inhaled. He said something to Eric and he let each of them know that I am his. I reached over and quickly grabbed his hand. The third guard continued to stare at me so I looked down at my lap. I didn't need another vampire dying because he was going to try and glamor me.

"He is expecting us," Eric assured the first guard. He then reached behind us and shoved the bag in the vampire's hand. "Make sure to deliver this to the king."

The first guard walked away with the bag in his hand and began speaking on a phone. The second guard watched Eric. The third one, he came to my side of the window and continued to stare at me. I leaned over and began kissing Eric. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. I did that because the vampire inhaled and I knew that he could smell my virginity. He was probably wondering if I was up for grabs. I needed to do something to let him know that I wasn't. Even though I was a bit embarrassed, I must admit, I was enjoying it. I also wanted to make sure that Eric was going to enjoy it too. I began to stroke his fangs with my tongue. His arm tightened around my waist. "You know what to do," I whispered as I kissed my way to his neck. "This is getting to be a bit too much."

Whispering in my ear, he said, "We can fix that, my lover."

I giggled. "Bite me."

And he did it without hesitation.

I pressed his head closer to my neck as he fed from me. The pleasure of feeling him feed from me is the most sensual and sexual thing I've ever done. I never thought that I could have feelings like this from a vampire bite. "Don't heal them," I moaned in his ear. "I want them all to see that I am yours."

He removed his fangs from my neck and stared into my eyes. He brushed my hair from my face and kissed me again. I think we would have still been kissing if the first guard hadn't cleared his throat. "You can go in now," he ordered as the gate opened.

Eric kissed me once more before returning me to my seat.

I glanced to my right and at the third guard who was still peering into the window at me. "Creep," I said. I stuck my tongue out at him as Eric drove through the gate. I smoothed down my dress and said, "I think I'm falling for you."

Eric had a smirk on his face as he glanced at me. "You think or you know?"

"I know," I answered with a smile.

He reached out and took my hand. I stared out at the king's massive home. The lighting that lit up the yard and the driveway was very understated. I think it was so that others wouldn't notice the massive home that was sitting off on side of the road covered under the guise of trees. The grounds were impeccably and stunningly manicured. The house was absolutely gorgeous. Moss hung from the columns of the old plantation style home. The house had to have been at least two stories. The balconies looked like the balconies from my most favorite movie in the entire world … Gone with the Wind. The king's home was the epitome of something from the old south. Though it was beautiful, I was leery of whom we were going to see.

"The prey walking willingly into the lion's den," I muttered.

Eric laughed heartily as he stopped the car.

Once he was out, came over to my side of the car and opened the door. He offered me his hand as he helped me out. Under the bright lights of the king's home, Eric lifted my face to his. His fangs snapped into place as he looked at the bruises, the black eye, and the busted lip. "When we are done here, I will heal you," he promised.

"Okay," I replied.

A vampire appeared out of the darkness and Eric threw the keys to him. "Good evening, Sheriff."

Eric nodded at the vampire as he led me up the stairs and in between two more muscular guards that led us through the front doors of the king's home. I had never seen a house so massive in all my life. The ceilings were high and these big windows looked out at the most beautiful flower garden I'd ever seen. Gran would have loved that garden. She and grandpa would have spent days working in that garden. The tulips. The tiger lilies. The moon flowers were the most beautiful I'd ever seen. I didn't mean to look like a tourist but it was beautiful.

"Impressed?" Eric asked as he leaned down and whispered in my ear.

"Not really," I said. "I've seen better. Gran's tulip bed is much prettier. Her pink roses would put those flowers to shame."

He smiled as he pulled me closer to him. "Remember what I told you. Know your place here. No mouthing off to the king. This is not a relaxed setting. This is an official meeting with the king. When you are speaking with him, remember to be respectful at all times."

"I will," I whispered.

"Unless he asks you something directly, stay quiet and let me do the talking."

"Yes, Master," I said.

His grip tightened on my hand. "It gives me great pleasure to hear you say that."

"What? You like it when I say yes?" I jokingly asked. "I guess I'll say it to you all of the time then. Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh, yes, Master."

He looked at me and smiled. He was about to reply to me but he didn't get a chance to. A female vampire walked up to him and planted the sloppiest kiss that she could on his mouth. He didn't return her kisses and he didn't push her away either. She had a lot of nerve and I didn't like it. I took my hand from Eric's and pushed him back away from her. I stared up at the tall vampiress. She smiled down at me and showed me a pair of the whitest fangs I'd ever seen. Her red lipstick was smeared over the pale skin below her lip. The lipstick paired with the jet-black hair was a bit much but she was attractive enough. She even looked good in her red suit. Not good enough to be kissing on Eric.

I turned to Eric and wiped her cheap … it probably cost more than my entire outfit … lipstick from his mouth. I stood in between them and asked, "Who are you and why are kissing my Master?"

She looked at me and began to laugh. She looked at Eric and asked, "Who is this human? And why does she feel she can tell me whom I can and cannot kiss?"

I know that Eric told me to keep quiet but she's not the king. I can say whatever I want to say to her. She was just some hussy that took it upon herself to kiss on my … on my … I don't know what he is to me just yet but she had no right kissing him. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse and I'm his. You can't kiss him because you want to. The master is …"

"Free to do whatever he wants," she interrupted. The unknown vampiress looked at him and asked, "Have you taken to being claimed by humans, Eric? Please, tell me that you haven't gotten so desperate that you're getting serious with a human. She's pretty enough but she's still a human."

Eric didn't answer her question. Instead he introduced me to the vampiress. "Salome, this is Sookie and she is mine."

Salome looked at me and smiled. "Are you serious? She is so tiny, Eric. You can't do the things to her that you have done to me. The things that you like. She is far too fragile. You could possibly hurt her." She sandwiched me in between her and Eric as she caressed his face with her finger. "Now, I, on the other hand, can take whatever it is that you have to offer. If I remember correctly, I know what you like." She closed her eyes as she inhaled my scent. She looked at me and licked her lips. "Oh. I get it. She's a virgin. Is that why she's glued to your hip?" Her eyes suddenly widened. "Is she an offering to your king or to me? Hopefully, she's for us all to share. If time allows, maybe we can break her in together." She reached out to touch me and I guess I did something that shouldn't have. I smacked her hand away.

"You don't touch me unless I say you can," I snapped at her.

She dropped fang on me.

I could feel Eric's posture change as he stood closer to my body. His hands were on my waist. I could only guess that he was preparing himself to move me if he needed to. I could hear his fangs as they, too, dropped into place. "You don't want to do this, Salome. She did you a favor by smacking your hand away. She is mine and is not to be touched by you or anyone else. You know the laws."

She tucked her fangs away as she stared at me. Not saying anything. She hissed as she looked down at me.

I stood tall and looked up at the tall vampiress. "Am I supposed to be afraid of you?"

"Yes," she answered. "You are."

With my head held high, I said, "Well, I'm not. I'm not going to play these games with you. You don't touch me or my ... my master." I stood as tall as I could in front of Eric to let her know my meaning.

Her pale green eyes were staring and unblinking as she looked at me. I could have sworn that a hint of a smile appeared on her face but it was gone so fast that I couldn't quite tell.

I was fascinated at how she looked at me … at how her demeanor changed in a heartbeat. I know that I was supposed to be afraid. Shoot, I was afraid but I couldn't back down now. I couldn't do that. That's not me. I know that she could hear my heart pounding in my chest but I didn't care. I had to stand my ground despite how scared I was. I was so scared that I wanted to cry but I didn't cry. Guess what I did?

I laughed.

And I couldn't stop.

"What's going on here?"

I looked up and there was the king. God, knows I wanted to stop laughing but I couldn't stop. I held my breath but I still laughed. I pinched my arm as hard as I could and I was still laughing. Nothing was working. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop. I looked up at Eric for help but there was nothing that he could. So, I did the only thing that I could do. I laughed.

The king stared at me as if I'd lost my mind. He almost looked worried. "Is she well, Eric?"

Eric's face remained emotionless as he spoke. "She is. She's nervous and when she's nervous she breaks out into a fit of giggles." He looked at me and then at the king. "She should be done soon. Her nervousness is subsiding."

I wasn't too sure that he was right about that.


	28. Chapter 28

**28**

 **There's Nothing Special About Me … Not Really**

 **Hey! I hope that everyone had a great weekend. The training was been boring as hell but that's government for you. Boring and chocked full of you know what but thankfully it's almost over. Two more days and I'm done! I want to thank y'all for the reviews, alerts, favorites, and especially for reading. It tickles me purple to know that y'all are enjoying my story. In my high pitched voice, I say "Thank ya!". I'd also like to say that Eric had a reason for not body slamming Salome for kissing him. Remember, this is the Viking that we're talking about here. He's always thinking logically. He doesn't jump to conclusions. Don't be mad at him. He did what he had to do.**

 **I would also like to welcome and thank the new readers for jumping on board. Thank you for joining us and I hope that you enjoy the ride.**

 **As always, the characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea belongs to me.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Eric was right … almost. I was feeling a bit more than nervous. Everything that has happened tonight has gotten to me. I wanted to cry and scream at the tops of my lungs. I wanted to run as far away as I could. I wanted to kill Quinn all over again. I wanted to choke slam my mom for betraying me ... for never being a mom to me. I wanted to give my daddy a good what for for not being a daddy to me. I wanted to do a lot of things but giggling seemed to be the best option. I'm feeling a bit of every emotion that one person could possibly feel. And they slowly faded away into slight giggles and smiles before they were altogether gone. I had to do a few breathing exercises to get my mind where it needed to be but it's there now and it's all good. I'm okay. I really am.

"You're okay now," he said as he looked at me.

"Yes, Master," I whispered.

His fangs snapped into place.

I shivered as I stared at them. I could almost feel them piercing my skin … his lips wrapped around the punctures as I imagined him making …

"Sookie." Salome's grating voice interrupted my moment.

"What?" I snapped. I hate it when people interrupt my fantasies.

"I like you," she shared.

"Okay." What did she want me to do? Jump up and down and do cartwheels? That was not going to happen.

Salome stood in front of me and nodded. Her eyes were on me as she spoke to Eric. "You've trained her well, Eric. She heels to you quite easily. It makes me wonder why she's eager to do as you ask of her and you've never had her. I don't know why but she's enthralling. She's quite captivating … even with the bruises and black eye. There's something special about her." She tilted her as she continued to study me. "Come to me," she commanded. "I mean you no harm."

"No," I said.

She looked at me and beamed. It was the brightest and creepiest smile I'd ever seen. Her beautiful yet deadly fangs were fully displayed once again. I could tell that she didn't like that a human said no to her but she didn't show anger. Instead, she reached out to touch me and once again, I stepped away from her. "Come to me," she repeated.

"No," I echoed.

Salome continued to study my face as I was suddenly in her head. She didn't want me to come to her. She wanted to see if I'd be willing to leave Eric's side. I tensed at the realization that I'd read the mind of another vampire. I was suddenly terrified. Something appeared on Salome's face just as I read her thoughts. I thought that she knew. I dropped my head and breathed calmly and easily. These random vampire thoughts are going to be the death of me. And I'm in no way ready to call it quits.

"Is she okay?" William asked as he stepped forward.

I could feel Eric's eyes on me so I looked up at him and smiled. I said, "I'm okay."

Thankfully, Salome appeared to not have noticed that I'd been in her head or that the king had spoken. She kept talking about me as if I wasn't standing right there with them. "Why are you keeping her, Eric? I don't understand this relationship. I've never known for you to take human lovers so easily. Normally, you'd fuck them and be on your way but this." She pointed at me and cocked an eyebrow. "This thing that you have with Sookie is quite different. I've certainly never known for you to give them your blood. What is it about her, Eric, that has caused this sudden change in you? How long have you had her in your possession?"

"Almost a month," he shared.

William shoved his hands into his pockets as he spoke. "And you've given her your blood? That's a quick step that you've taken, Sheriff."

Salome glanced over her shoulder at the king. "It's unbelievable, isn't it? That the Viking would give blood to a human and he's only known her for a month? It's well known that he's selfish with his blood. He's let his own kind suffer because he didn't want to feed them. It gives me reason to wonder what's really going on here."

Eric stared squarely into Salome's eyes as he talked. "There is no need for you to wonder, Salome. Why concern yourself with something that you can't change? Just know that she is mine. She is not to heel to the will of others because she does not belong to them. She belongs to me."

"Hmm," she said as she studied me. "For now, she's yours."

I looked to the king to see if he had anything to say about what Salome just said but he didn't say anything. He was simply an observer. And I didn't like it.

Eric's body tensed at Salome's words. He pushed me behind him. He stood toe to toe with the vampiress. His fangs descended as he said, "Your deliberate disrespect of her will not be allowed. Though _you_ see a human standing with me, _you_ will not attempt to take her or take what is hers. I have told you that she is mine. She will remain mine … forever."

Salome eyed Eric intensely. "And I am your superior."

"And I have treated you as such, Salome," Eric declared. "Since walking through those doors, you have disrespected me and the relationship that I have with Sookie. You have been deliberate with your words and have shown nothing but contempt …"

I think he said more but I didn't hear him. I was still stuck on the other stuff that he'd said. Did he just tell her that he's mine? Did he just take her to task for disrespecting our relationship? I stood closer to his body as I gripped his hand in mine. The very idea that he's mine and he wants me to be with him forever made my heart pound in my chest. I know that we won't have forever but the idea of being with him while I'm here is something that I can look forward to. I know that with Eric I will have an adventurous life … a happy life … a safe life. I know that I can't get that with anyone else. I thought about the revelation I'd made to him on the way to see the king. I then tugged at the back of his shirt. I didn't care one bit that I was interrupting his conversation with Salome. She could wait. "Master?"

"Yes," he said. He didn't take his eyes off Salome.

"Do you remember what I said to you earlier tonight … about … you know … what I think is happening?"

His back was still to me. "I do."

"I know for sure that I am."

Eric looked briefly at me, arrogance more than apparent on his face. "I am not surprised."

"You should be a comedian," I whispered.

A slight smile appeared on his face. "It has always been a dream of mine."

I covered my mouth to stifle my laughter.

William was watching us with fascination … taking it all in.

Not Salome. She didn't look fascinated or happy about the banter that was going on between me and Eric. She glimpsed over her shoulder in the direction of the king. She began speaking French. " _Je la veux. Elle est plus qu'un humain. Ses yeux me disent qu'elle est plus et je la veux. Il ne la mérite pas. Il n'est rien de plus qu'un shérif. Rendez-la ce soir. Faites-en la mine, William._ " (I want her. She is more than a human. Her eyes tell me that she's more and I want her. He doesn't deserve her. He is nothing more than a sheriff. Give her to me tonight. Make her mine, William.)

I was no longer nervous. I didn't have the urge to giggle. I was angry. I pushed past Eric and _I_ was now standing toe to toe with Salome. " _Qui pensez-vous que vous êtes dans le enfer? Vous ne pouvez pas m'en avoir. Vous ne m'avez pas gagné et personne ne va me faire être avec vous. Je collabore avec Éric parce que je suis avec lui. Je suis son et il n'y a rien que vous pouvez faire à ce sujet. Le lien que nous formons est permanent. Personne ne le brise_." (Who in the hell do you think you are? You can't have me. You haven't earned me and no one is going to make me be with you. I am bonding with Eric because I belong with him. I am his and there's nothing that you can do about it. The bond that we are forming is permanent. No one is breaking it.)

When I looked at the king, what I'd done dawned on me. He was no longer just staring. Something came over his face as he stared at me. He pushed Salome out of the way and stared down at me. Eric's hand tightened on mine. He was attentive and ready. I was afraid that if something happened with me and the king, Eric was going to respond in a way that would get him hurt or even killed. It would have been my fault. His reminder that I needed to stay quiet popped into my head at that precise moment. It was Salome that I was speaking to. I wasn't mouthing off to the king but if she's his second in command, maybe I should've kept quiet. Maybe I could be a Smart Alec before because the king wasn't present. Regardless, I'd messed up. Just like with Long Shadow, I'd revealed too much and I'd let my anger get the best of me and now Eric was going to be punished because I couldn't keep my big mouth shut. True terror filled me once again and this time I didn't laugh, giggle, or smile. I wrapped my arm around his and rested my head on it. "I'm sorry, Master," I whispered. "I wasn't thinking."

His posture remained firm and he said nothing.

I'd opened my mouth to speak to the king but he raised his hand and stopped me. "Say nothing more and follow me," he ordered. "Each of you."

With Eric stilling holding my hand, we followed the king and Salome to our doom … or to what I believed was going to be our doom. We, at least, had a nice view as we walked down the long and decorated hallway. The artwork was exquisite. The coloring. The lines. The shading. It was magnificent. Some of you are probably wondering how I know about art. A girl from Bon Temps isn't supposed to know that stuff. Well, it's quite simple. My grandpa has taught me a lot about art and many other things. He told me that when I get older, I'd need to know certain things. He told me that they would come in handy one day. He said …

' _You're going to lead a fascinating life one day, Sookie. Education is very important. It is imperative that you know as much as you possibly can. People in the supe world, in my world, they will destroy you if they feel that you are beneath them. They will try to use you … hinder you. They will try to use your ignorance of their world, and this one, against you. This, I will not allow. You need to know as much as you can about both worlds but especially my world. The new world that will enthrall you. Whatever you want, because you are my granddaughter, it is yours. You only need to claim your place in this world and your life will change forever. Do you understand?'_

 _I didn't understand but my grandpa's words sent chills through me so I said the first thing that popped into my head._ ' _I do,' I answered._

' _What does that mean to you?' he asked with skepticism filling his voice. 'Tell me what that means to you.'_

 _I could tell that he didn't believe that I knew. And I said before, I didn't. And once again, me being me, I said the first thing that popped into my head. 'That I'm your granddaughter. That I am a Brigant. That I can have whatever I want. I just have to want it bad enough to take it.' As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew that I'd said the right thing._

 _He caressed my thirteen-year-old head and kissed it. 'Exactly, my love. Your life will be filled with adventure, excitement, and love but know this, Sookie. You will also face hurt and disappointment but in the end, you will find your way. You always will.'_

' _How do you know, grandpa? What if it doesn't happen like that? What if I want to do something different? What if I don't want to be in the supe world?' I shared my superhero plans with him that day. I used to want to be just like Spiderman when I was girl. I thought that he had the coolest costume. I wouldn't have been Spiderman though. I would have been Spiderwoman. I wanted to save the world._

 _He laughed at me. 'You won't ever get to be Spiderwoman but you're going to be the best Sookie Stackhouse that you can be. Your new world will give you more than you've ever imagined. I will make sure that you have everything that you need.'_

It then dawned on me that he knew that many years ago, that I'd be here in this world. He wanted me here. He knew that this is my destiny. He'd chosen Eric for me. "He knew," I whispered. "He's always known."

I walked into Eric's backside as he, the king, and Salome stopped walking and looked at me. The king asked, "Who knew what?"

I looked at Eric and the vampiress and shook my head. "No one," I replied. "No one knows anything if you think about it. You can ask them something that they're supposed to know and you know what happens? Nothing. They stare at you like you've lost your freaking mind. They can't answer you. It's like they've forgotten what you asked 'em or that you were even talking to 'em. They're all clueless." I didn't know what else to say so I smiled. I apologized to grandpa and the rest of the world in my head for calling them clueless.

The king frowned as he looked at me.

Salome filled the empty hallway with easy laughter. "She is fucking hilarious and she's right. Who really knows anything about anything? I have always thought that but never verbalized it. And another thing," she said. "Do you realize how often things change when you're under the impression that they're supposed to be the same? I've been in this world for hundreds of years and nothing ever stays the same. I guess it's because I never change, I expect everything else to remain as it was."

"Right?" I said as I pointed at her and shook my head.

"It seems that great minds think alike, Sookie."

The king still had a frown on his face as he looked at Salome.

Eric stared. He did nothing but stare. He probably thought that I was nuts.

I, on the other hand, pointed down the hallway. "I'd love to continue this conversation, but we need to hurry along, don't we? We need to get back to Shreveport tonight. We have to get Pam back home."

"You are right, Ms. Stackhouse. Let's get to where we need to be. There is a lot that we must discuss tonight," the king commented. He and Salome turned away from us and proceeded to lead the way.

Eric and I waited behind them for a bit. I mouthed, "I will tell you later."

He nodded and led the way.

It felt like hours before we made it William's office. The long hallway led to the two tallest, cherry wood doors in the history of doors. They looked like the doors at our old, southern Baptist church only these are a bit more elaborate. The door knobs were made of pure brass. They shone so brightly that they sparkled from the light of the chandelier. There were elegant designs carved into the door. As we stopped in front of the doors, I released Eric's hand and traced my fingers over the carefully crafted etchings. It looked like ancient scripture and it was fascinating. The sad part is that I had no earthly idea what any of the etchings meant.

William looked at me and smiled. "Impressed?" he asked.

"Nope," I answered bluntly as I removed my hand from the door and took a step back.

This time, the king laughed.

The king whispered the words ' _I have arrived_ ' and the doors sprang open with flair. Two more extremely large vampires were on either side as they held the doors open for us. The office was immaculate. There were paintings that were the length of the walls from which they hung. The carpet was so plush, it felt like I was walking on air. The furniture looked far too expensive for anyone to sit on. If it was in Ms. Fortenberry's house, it would be covered in plastic … double layers. Everything was beautiful but what really caught my eye when we first entered the room was the carving that was etched into the wall behind the king's desk … just above his head as he sat down in his oversized chair.

' _Rex est scriptor Latr_ ' (The King's Lair).

 _Lambs to the slaughter_ , I thought.

Once we were inside, the vampire guards closed the doors behind them as they left the room. Eric and I were still walking across the room while the king was sitting and Salome stood behind his chair. Eric took the seat in front of William's desk as he released my hand. I didn't know what do to, so I did just as Salome had done. I stood behind Eric's chair with my hands crossed behind my back. The king looked impressed. Eric filled the bond with pride. I could only guess that I'd done the right thing.

Pointing at the chair next to Eric's, the king said, "Please, Ms. Stackhouse, have a seat next to your master."

Before making a move, I looked to Eric. "May I?"

He turned to face me as he gave me permission. "Yes," he replied. The feelings of need and want filled the bond as I did as I was told. I could feel his eyes on me as I took the seat next to him. With my head bowed, I glanced at him and let my feelings for him fill the bond. He briefly closed his eyes before returning his focus to the king.

As they watched us, Salome leaned down and whispered something in the king's ear that I couldn't hear. I know that Eric heard it because he glanced in my direction but remained quiet. He stared straight ahead for what seemed like hours before reaching over and brushing my hair from shoulder. He'd exposed the bite marks on my neck for the vampires to see. I sat taller in my seat and turned my head ever so slightly so that the king and his sidekick could see that I'd been branded with Eric's mark. They were no longer whispering as Eric stared evenly into Salome's eyes. "She is mine," he pronounced.

She scoffed as she looked at him. "How did you find her? Did you steal her? Did you force her to become yours?" She placed her hand on a nonexistent hip. "I can't see someone so strong-willed freely bending to your very whims. What did you do to break her? Did you threaten her family … the people that she loves?"

He dropped fang on her as he leaned forward in his seat. As he spoke, his voice remained calm but icy. "How dare you question my veracity. If I'd forced her to be mine, do you believe that she'd still be a virgin? I would take _all_ of her without question or consequence. How she feels would never be a consideration. She would be mine in every way, Salome."

And from the look on his face, I believed him.

"She yields because it is what she wishes to do," he declared.

And he was right.

Salome was about to speak again but the king stopped her. He raised his hand to her. "Forgive her idiocy, Eric. She knows not what she says because she clearly wants what is yours." He looked at her over his shoulder. "Am I right, Salome?"

If looks could kill, the king would have exploded right there. "Yes, your majesty. You are right."

The king brushed imaginary dust from his desk before placing his arms on it and interlocking his fingers. He glowered at Eric before speaking. "How _did_ you come to have Ms. Stackhouse in your possession? It perplexes me to believe that she just appeared at your doorstep willing to let you claim her." He must have noticed the change in Eric's body because he quickly added, "I don't question your integrity, Sheriff, or your veracity as you so eloquently put it. I would never do that. I just can't seem to get a grasp on how this relationship came to be." He pointed from me to Eric as he continued. "Even you have to admit that Salome is right about one thing. Sookie does not appear to be the type to yield so easily. She has been surrounded by vampires this entire night and she has shown no fear. I'd like to know how you came to have her in your life."

Eric's feelings of anger and rage rolled through the bond though his face remained neutral. "Palomino alerted me to the fact that she'd given you a copy of the help wanted ad but because you are my king, I will verbally explain how Sookie's employment came to be." He glared at the king through hooded eyes. "Pam placed an ad in the local paper looking for a new waitress to work in our establishment, Fangtasia. Ms. Stackhouse, Sookie, put in an application for the job. When I first met her, she captivated me. She has a great personality and a wonderful sense of humor. She's quite intelligent and a great conversationalist. She also showed no fear in the presence of those that should have terrified her." He turned to face me as he spoke. "She didn't see me as a monster and because of it, I wanted her, so hired her."

The king didn't look convinced. "What made you give her your blood?"

Before Eric could answer, Salome blurred from around the king's desk and placed her hands over my ears. I realized what they were doing and I remained seated and calm. I stared straight ahead as William continued to question Eric about our relationship. I wanted to walk around the desk and slap the living daylights out of that so-called king. He was getting on my last nerve questioning Eric's integrity. Those idiots thought that we were lying. Why else would he have his flunky cover my ears? They wanted to make sure that our answers were going to be different. I looked from Eric to the king and they were still talking. I tried looking at Salome but I couldn't move my neck.

The king pointed at me and that was Salome's signal to let me go. "Sookie," William said. "I want you to answer me a few questions. Will you do that?"

I looked to Eric before speaking.

He nodded.

"Yes, your majesty," I replied. "I will."

"You will be honest with me." He wasn't asking either.

"I will," I promised.

"How did you come to bond with the Sheriff?"

Salome was soon standing by her king with her arms crossed over her chest waiting for an answer. I could tell that they were expecting me to lie to them because they already know about me. The king knew about me when he agreed to meet with us. Salome knew about me when she questioned Eric about me. They know what I am. I wanted to know if Eric knows that they know. I searched the bond for a sign of something from Eric and I got nothing so I knew that they knew.

"My grandfather," I said. "He told me that Eric would keep me safe if I wanted to work in the supe world. He said that if I offered to work for any other vampire, they would make me a blood whore and I didn't want that. I don't want that. He had Eric draw up a contract stating that he would protect me at all costs. I agreed because after meeting Eric for the first time, I thought that he was an a-hole. That probably would have turned any other woman off but not me. Even though he was an a-hole, I like him. He was honest and I could see the good in him. After I presented my grandpa's deal to him, Eric said that he'd do it but only after I thought of what it would mean for me."

Salome was soon sitting on the edge of the king's desk. "Are you saying that Eric didn't jump at the chance to make you his? He made you wait?" She looked at Eric and shook her head in utter disbelief. "You're fucking kidding me, right?" She pointed at me and said, "She's a virgin. She smells fucking divine. She's everything that you say she is but you made her wait? And she's a virgin for fuck's sake! We are living in a world where virgins are quite hard to find. You had one in the palms of your hands and you made her wait." She clapped her hands. "Your fucking patience is admirable, Sheriff. I would have had her the first night." She looked at me and licked her lips. "Oh, yes. You would have been mine."

"Salome," the king calmly said. "Quiet and let the girl finish."

"Thank you, your majesty," I said.

"Please," he said. "We are in a relaxed setting. Call me Bill."

I looked at Eric.

Again, he nodded.

"Thank you … Bill." Saying his name left a bad taste in my mouth. It tasted like spoiled milk. Clumpy, old spoiled milk. "Just before Pam was taken, Eric and I began to form our bond. Since knowing him, he's kept me safe and after the blood exchange, things changed that night. I could feel him with me."

Bill scowled. "After one blood exchange, _you_ could feel _him_?"

I nodded.

Salome's posture straightened as she looked from me to Eric. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," I said as I answered them both. I didn't say anything else. I didn't know what else Bill expected me to say. If he wanted to get anything else out of me, he was going to have to ask flat out. I wasn't going to volunteer anything. Regardless of him letting me call him Bill or helping us to locate Pam, I still don't trust him. He's a sneaky one, he is.

Bill began to laugh and I had no idea why. Salome and Eric looked at each other. I continued to stare at the king. He raised his hand to us and said, "Forgive my laughter. You say that he has kept you safe but look at your face. How could you possibly believe that he is keeping you safe, Ms. Stackhouse? Your eye is black and blue. Your lip looks quite painful. You look as if you've been through a boxing match with Muhammad Ali and you believe that _he_ has kept you safe. If anything, he has failed you."

Eric growled as he gripped the arms of his chair. I reached over and touched his arm. He looked at my hand and returned to his seat. The king and Salome noticed it.

I moved my hand from his arm and focused on the king. "Because he is," I said with a hint of anger in my tone. "What happened to me is not his fault. I was in Merlotte's when I was taken. I had no intentions of leaving the bar until Eric arrived to get me. My assailant grabbed me from behind and dragged me out the backdoor." I was soon scooted to the edge of my seat. "Forgive my tone, your majesty, but this is not Eric's fault. So, in that, sir, you are wrong. If Eric had been there, there is no way that he would have allowed this to happen to me." I pointed at my face as if it was going to prove my point. "Quinn did this to me."

Salome was no longer sitting on the desk. She was standing in front of me. She lifted my face to hers as she studied my bruises, no longer afraid of being punished. Her fangs ran out slowly as she looked at Eric. "Quinn did this to her? He is here in Louisiana?" She looked at Bill over her shoulder and said, "He is no longer allowed in this state for the things he's done in the past. Who has given him permission to come here? We need to find him. He knows that he faces certain death for entering our state. I want him dead! His life is mine!"

I guess her king didn't let her know why we were here. Another point against Bill.

"It wasn't me," Bill growled. "It definitely wasn't me. If I'd known that he was in my state, I would have killed him instantly. Where is he? You did capture him."

"I did not," Eric answered. "I killed him."

Alarm rolled through me. I can't believe Eric has taken the blame for something that I'd done. I wanted to speak up but I remained quiet. He's been around vampires a lot longer than I've been so I let him do what he does best. I let him handle them. "Sookie and I had planned on meeting this evening … earlier this evening at Merlotte's but I was delayed. Victor Madden made an impromptu visit to my bar. He questioned me about Pam before offering his help. He then questioned me about Sookie." Sneakily, he added, "He also questioned your motives, your majesty. He believes that you only offered your help because you have a hidden agenda. I have something that you want."

"Fucking explain," Bill growled as he glanced at me.

As Eric talked, I noticed the looks that Bill and Salome gave each other. That told me that they know more than they're letting on. They have heard something and they're not letting us know what it is. I think I'm going to add Salome to my suspect list just as soon as I get in the car. I don't trust her either. I didn't trust her when she kissed Eric and the distrust has grown. I'm on it now. They are going to regret messing with Sookie Stackhouse.

"I could smell blood in the air and I could feel her fear. And when I reached her, she was lying underneath the were-tiger. He'd ripped her dress open. He was preparing to defile her." Eric looked at me as he continued. "That did not happen. He was dead before he realized it."

Bill and Salome were staring at me as if they were expecting me to break. They expected to see me cry. I stared at them and showed them not an ounce of emotion. That took place hours ago, and it wasn't going to happen again. I refused to give Quinn anymore of my tears or my fear. He wasn't worth it then and he's not worth it now. He's dead and gone. There's no need to dwell on what he could've done when it didn't happen. It's over.

Salome had returned to Bill's side. "You have his body?"

"I do," Eric stated.

"Are you well, Ms. Stackhouse?" Salome asked me.

"I am."

"You're not afraid." She sounded surprised as her eyes widened at the realization.

"I am not. He's dead. There's no reason for me to be afraid. I don't have time for that."

She nodded as she said, "No, you don't."

"Do you know who hired him?" Bill asked.

Eric shook his head no. "That is why we requested to meet with you tonight."

Salome side eyed the king. I was right. She didn't know why we were here and Eric knew that she didn't know. That's why he brought up his call to set up the meeting. She really believed me to be an offering to her king. Bill has moved to the top of the list.

Bill smirked. "If someone calls looking for the tiger, he's our culprit."

"Yes," Eric hissed.

Bill studied me for a long moment. It was like he was going to make me flinch or look away. I didn't do that. I remained as cool as ever … minus the giggling fit that I'd had earlier. There was nothing on his face. There was nothing in his eyes. He just stared. Salome decided to speak up. "What is she, Eric? She's too brave to be a human. Those eyes … they're not the eyes of a human. Her soul is not that of a human. Her will and fight are too strong for that of a human. What is she?"

Eric simply answered, "They're not my secrets to tell."

I remained quiet.

Turning to face the king, Eric said, "But I will tell you something about her. Sookie is an amazing woman. She is valuable to me and it's not because she works for me. I enjoy her company and her friendship. I have noticed that many other supes have noticed that Sookie is a treasure." He glared at Salome for a brief moment as he continued. "They all seem to want what is mine. I cannot allow that. She and her grandfather have put her life in my hands. I am asking that you help me in keeping her safe. If she shares her secrets with you, she must have your protection and your promise to leave things as they are. She will remain mine. The bonding process will not be stopped. Give us your word or she says nothing."

Bill didn't like the idea of being given an ultimatum. He was angry and he didn't try and hide it. He'd balled his fists up so tightly that the palms of his hands were bleeding. Through clinched teeth, he said, "I don't enjoy that you've given me an ultimatum but I can understand why you have done so. I, too, have found that I'm drawn to Ms. Stackhouse. I agree that she needs extra protection; especially if Quinn had been dispatched to cause her harm." He appeared to be thinking of Eric's words before he decided. "Okay. If what she tells me …"

"No!" Salome yelled. "You can't let him keep her! You know what …"

Bill reached out and backhanded the vampiress so hard that her head turned harshly to the right. I could have sworn that I heard her neck crack. "Don't you ever disrespect me," he replied calmly. "I am your king. Know your place, underling, or find yourself finally dead."

Salome slowly turned to face Bill. "Yes, your majesty. Forgive my impudence. It will never happen again."

Bill pulled his suit jacket tight as returned to his conversation with Eric. "As I was saying," he began. "If she tells me everything, she is yours. She has the protection of my strongest vampires, of my kingdom. No one will try to take her away from you. You will be allowed to continue forming your bond with her but know this. If I discover that either of you have lied to me this evening, you will relinquish her to me. Your woman will be mine. Am I understood?"

Eric didn't answer because there was no way he was going to give me to the king. He looked at me. "As I said, they're not my secrets to tell. The choice is yours."

I turned to look at the king. He thinks that he has us over a barrel. He's expecting me to lie to him out of fear. He knows what I am and he's going to try and use my ' _secrets_ ' to keep me away from Eric. My grandpa warned me about vampires like him. He's going to try and use fear to make me want to be with him. He's going to try and manipulate me into believing that Eric is not worthy of me. He's so obvious. Since meeting him, he's been saying to me, and quite frequently might I add, how much Pam means to Eric. He's made it a point to repeat that they've been lovers and that Eric loves her. He's hinted at the other relationships that Eric may have had with men. I wouldn't be afraid to say that he put Salome up to that kissing scam to see what would happen. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that he watched the entire exchange happen. He was probably expecting Eric to do something to Salome. Bill would have wanted that, right? She _is_ Eric's superior. I can only imagine what would have happened if he'd taken matters into his own hands. I can damn well guarantee that he wouldn't be in here with me if he had. Does Bill not realize that my grandpa has already told me that nothing in the vampire world is free? Does he believe me to be that naïve? That weak? He obviously doesn't know me.

Straightening my posture and folding my hands in my lap, I calmly asked, "Since we are in a relaxed setting, may I be frank with you, Bill? Without Eric facing punishment, can I be frank and honest with you?"

He nodded. "Please," he responded. "I want nothing more than to have a frank and honest discussion with you, Ms. Stackhouse. Say what you will."

"I'm a telepath," I said. I looked from him to Salome and back to him. Neither of them looked surprised at the revelation. It's just what I expected. "But you already knew that, didn't you? That's what Salome was going to say to you before you slapped the rest of the words back down her throat. You've been playing this game with us all evening, you and Salome, haven't you? You both knew what I am before we got here."

Salome blurred in front of me. She placed her hands on either side of my chair and stared into my eyes. "You can read the minds of vampires?"

"No," I said as I leaned so close to her that our noses were almost touching. "I can read faces and both of you showed your hands when you began questioning us about how Eric and I came to be. Now get out of my face."

She dropped fang.

I continued to stare her in the eyes. Remaining calm, I said, "Now."

She slowly stepped away from me … smiling.

I glared at her before returning my attention to the king. "I can't read vampires but I can read some shifters, Weres, and all humans. I can get a full read on most beings, except for vampires, if I'm touching them. I can also see images if I'm touching the human. I speak several different languages; which you discovered earlier when Salome was speaking French but you already knew that. Oh, and I like art." I looked at Salome and said, "You see. There's nothing special about me … not really."

"You are wrong," Salome replied. "You're _very_ special."

I could see the king's gears turning as he took in what I'd said to him. Bill looked at Salome and shook his head. "I'm quite saddened in what I've learned this evening. Things have been hidden from me that I cannot allow. I can't believe that a sheriff in my area has kept such an asset hidden away from me. I would think that he should've turned her over to me as soon as he found out what she is, don't you, Salome?"

A sneer was clearly displayed on her face. "I do believe you're right, my king. I think that hiding her would constitute a lie." She shrugged her shoulders and said, "It's not a full-blown lie but it is a lie by omission." She smiled arrogantly at Eric. "I recall earlier when I mentioned his human, he …"

"I said, ' _Though_ **you** _see a human standing with me, you will not attempt to take her or take what is hers_ '," Eric finished for her. "I never said that she was human. You said that. Don't lie, Salome. It's not becoming of you."

Salome hissed as he used her words against her.

Ignoring what Eric said, the king nodded. "You're right, Salome. Eric, you may go. The telepath stays here."

Eric stood tall. "Sookie is mine!"

The king opened his desk drawer and removed a bedazzled stake from it. He glared at Eric. With his voice calm and even, he said, "She belongs to your king." With the tip of the stake pressing into the desk, he said, "It's open for discussion if you like."

I could see in Eric's eyes that he was ready to discuss it. He was ready to fight for me. To die for me. And there was no way that I was going to let that happen. I stood up from my chair as I walked to where Eric was and stood in front of him. "I knew that you couldn't be trusted. I knew that I was right to put you on my suspect list. You talk a good game but you're no different than the cowards that took Pam. You have a forked tongue, Bill. I could see it when you had Hebert killed for trying to glamor me when it was you."

Salome laughed.

Bill didn't. His fangs snapped into place as he blurred from behind his desk and stood before me. "Watch yourself, Sookie. You don't want anything to happen to your precious Viking, do you?"

My grandfather's words replayed in my mind and because of it, I decided right then that this is my world now. I needed to do what had to be done to survive it. I needed to stand up and take my place. "You can't touch him. You _won't_ touch him. You don't have that right."

"I am his king!" he yelled at me. "He belongs to me!"

 _Whatever you want, because you are my granddaughter, it is yours. You only need to claim your place in this world_.

"I am of the sky fae and I am a Brigant," I said as I stepped in closer to the king. "And you are wrong, _Bill_. Eric is mine."


	29. Chapter 29

**29**

 **It's Going to be a Long Night**

 **Hello, everyone! I apologize for the delay. I have been working nonstop and it has been difficult for me to be able get my chapters edited and posted. I'd also like to say that this chapter was supposed to be a lot longer but it was too long. It was 13,000 words so I broke down into two parts. The title of the chapter is fitting because this part of the story is going to be like four chapters, maybe five, for this one night. We're going to find out a bit more about what happened that night at Pam's. I hope that y'all bear with me and trust that I have not abandoned the story. I repeat. I have not abandoned the story. RL is a bit hectic right now.**

 **As always, thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and alerting to this story. I hope that y'all enjoy.**

 **S/N: I will be posting another chapter in a couple of days to make up for the delay.**

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With my hand entangled in a mass of blonde hair, I glanced at Sookie's swollen, pink lips. I watched the rise and fall of her chest as she caught her breath. I stared into her eyes as I realized that I've never been more enthralled with a woman … ever. Her bravery and her strength is astounding. Her need to defend those that she considers her friends is mind boggling. Earlier this evening, this small woman was locked in a room with three very deadly vampires and she showed no fear. She gave it. The fear that she sent through the king was fucking mesmerizing. It was fucking outstanding.

Bill was practically speechless when she told him her family name … Brigant. She's a blood member of the most feared fae clan in the supe world. Any faery that's willing to kill off their enemies … fae enemies included ... will kill anyone that gets in their way. The numbers of the fae have diminished greatly over the years but to the Brigants, it doesn't matter. If you're an enemy, you fall at the ends of their swords. Niall is the patriarch of the Brigant family. He and his wife, Einin, are the deadliest members of their bloodline. They have lived in this realm for hundreds of years and they've left their deadly mark on it for just as long. When fae blood is spilled by anyone other than themselves, they don't take too kindly to that slight; especially Niall. He's been known to kill vampires as they sleep. Many have found themselves chained to trees so that they can meet the sun for the first time in many years. Niall and Einin will watch the vampire burn. They have been known to dance around the remains of the vampire. For them, it's a joyous occasion. Many vampires have died at the ends of Einin's and Niall's swords. Einin isn't as willing to kill vampires for sport. She's fair. She's been known to kill them out of vengeance. But Niall, his goal has always been to rid the world of our kind. He believes that the vampire race is an abomination. When a vampire crosses him, he demands repayment and he doesn't want money. He wants his repayment in blood and sacrifice. Bill knows this. He's seen it happen.

And because he's seen Niall in action, he put the stake back in the drawer. He slowly returned to his seat. He bowed his head for a moment before returning his attention to Sookie. He rested his arms on his desk and said, "You're a Brigant."

"I am." Once she'd seen Bill put the stake back in the drawer, she was no longer standing in front of me. She, too, had returned to her seat. I don't think the king or Salome noticed but she'd moved her seat further away from his desk. It was angled so that she could see them if they so much as moved in her direction. She had them in her sights. Though she had no weapons, she was ready to fight if she had to. Salome's earlier description of Sookie was almost correct. Sookie is small. She should've been trembling with fear. She was alone in a room with three vampires. Two of whom would have tried to claim her under different circumstances. But instead of being afraid, she was defiant. Just as defiant as she was when we'd first met.

Salome moved to stand behind Bill. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "How long have you known of your bloodline?"

"All my life," she answered proudly. Her voice was clear and concise. "My grandfather has always been a part of my life. He's the reason I'm secure in who and what I am. My grandfather and my grandmother have always been my biggest supporters." I noticed that she didn't mention that Fintan is her grandfather but who am I to say anything? She's very observant. She may have realized that the fear of Niall Brigant was going keep Bill from trying to claim her. Her back was straightened as she sat tall in her seat. To the gods, she intrigues me.

I've been in this world for over a thousand years and nothing intrigues me anymore. I've lived during different eras and the only thing that changes is the scenery. The people, they are always the same. They always want to believe that they are different than everyone else but they aren't. They were and always will be the same. During those times, the times of old, only one person intrigued me and that was Pam. It hadn't happened since that cold December night. That is until a girl walked into my bar and into my life. I watched her now and it's almost as if she's oblivious to the danger she's in. She was sitting in her chair with her legs crossed staring the king and his lieutenant down. Almost daring them to defy her. The cheaply made dress that she's wearing is beneath her but she wears it with style and elegance. She made the cheap fabric look priceless. It fits her perfectly as it caresses the swell of her breasts. The hem fell elegantly around her tanned legs. She may not have the Brigant money but her confidence and bravery is in the blood. Her face had remained neutral throughout the night ... that is until just now. She glanced at me as a grin lifted the corner of her mouth. Her blue eyes and the bond were filled with humor and boredom. She was enjoying the change in the king's demeanor but she was also ready to leave. She was tired of listening to the voices of the king and Salome. She was done.

I smiled at her as she winked at me.

"So, what do we do now?" she asked the king. "You know what Quinn has done and what he tried to do to me. You have seen what he's done to my face. It's quite possible that he was a part of the plan to take Pam. You know everything there is to know about me. You know that I'm a telepath. You know that I'm a Brigant. You know that you can't have me and since you know this, tell me why we're still here. I feel that we've wasted enough time. Our time is precious. Eric and I could be questioning Dawn and looking for Pam. I have no more secrets to tell you. I have nothing else for you. So, why are we still here?"

Bill looked at her as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. "You are quite impatient, Ms. Stackhouse."

"I am," she agreed. "This meeting could've ended an hour ago. You've told us that you'd keep an eye out for the person that has hired Quinn. You know that he attacked ' _an asset_ ' to your kingdom. You and Salome obviously knew about me before we got here. Right now, I'm trying to figure out what we're supposed to be doing, why we're still here." She shrugged her shoulders. "I mean no disrespect to you, Your Majesty, but I don't do well with dramatics. Eric and I have answered your questions truthfully. We have no reason to lie to you. Either you trust us or you don't. We only need to be sure …"

The raising of Salome's hand cut Sookie's sentence short. She looked angry but her eyes were filled with amusement. I'm sure Bill could feel it since he and Salome share blood frequently. "You realize with whom you are speaking? He is a vampire king, Sookie. You will respect him when you are in his presence."

"I have shown him nothing but respect," Sookie commented. "He has allowed me to be myself with him, ma'am. He is the one that said that this is a relaxed setting. He is the one that said that I could be frank and honest. He's allowed me to call him by his first name for Pete's sake. Under different circumstances, I would never say the things that I have said to him. Eric is teaching me the way of the vampire. I would never purposely do anything to cause harm to him. I've been completely professional with you both … since we came into his office. Is that not true?"

Salome's lip twitched but the smile never appeared. "You have."

"Now," Sookie said. "Let's cut to the chase. Why are we still here?"

She's mine.

"I've noticed that you call him Eric." Bill looked from Sookie to me. "You allow this? You allow your pet to call you by your first name?"

Sookie's anger at being called a pet coursed through the bond but she remained still and quiet. Yet again, she has proved to the king that she is well aware of her place in our world. "She is mine and because this is a relaxed setting, she can call me Eric. Previously, she called me Master. She stood behind my chair and did not sit until she was given permission. As she said, she's learning the ways of our world. You changed the setting the of the meeting, Your Majesty. She's following your lead."

"That she is," Bill whispered. "It makes me wonder why she continues to address me formally when I've allowed otherwise."

Sookie didn't speak. Her silence was loud and clear.

Salome opened her mouth to speak. Bill stopped her with a simple shift of his body. "I want to hire out your services in the near future, Ms. Stackhouse. Once you've done your job for the sheriff, I want you here working for me."

She looked at me before answering the king. My face was neutral but the bond said no. "Eric my employer. I'm legally contracted to him. Any job that you have for me must go through him. I'm sure that he won't mind but I want you to be aware that I'm never to travel without him. He's always to be with me and it's not because of the job or the bond. It's because I want him with me. If he approves, I will offer you my telepathic services."

My fangs snapped into place as a growl built in my chest.

She body shivered from sheer anticipation and want.

Bill rested his elbows on his desk as he eyed her. He didn't try to hide the fact that he wants what is mine. He bowed his head and closed his eyes for a moment before acknowledging Sookie's request. "Eric," he began. "You will hire out her services to me once the investigation into Pam's disappearance has been solved. You will be with her while she is on the job but if anything arises in your area while she is here, you will be obligated to attend to it. She will be safe while under my care."

I knew then that something was going to need my attention while Sookie is working for him. He was going to do everything in his power to get Sookie to come to him on her own. He didn't want to face the wrath of Niall. He may think that because he's king, he has the upper hand. He does not. "I have to check her schedule and get back with you. I'm not sure of the pending jobs that she may already have. As you very well know, she's new to this world. I'd hate to start canceling appointments for her so soon. Our fellow supes may begin questioning her abilities and your ability as king. They will wonder why you'd allow an underling to accept appointments and not follow through. They'll question your leadership abilities. You might want to rethink your request, Your Majesty. You do understand?"

Frowning, Bill asked, "How many people know of her abilities?"

Looking perplexed by the question, I said, "I assumed that many know of her by now since you and Salome knew of her telepathy before she confirmed it. I believe that Victor knows of what she can do since he asked about her; which I believe that he learned by way of Long Shadow. He was under my employment the night Sookie was hired. She shared her talents with him … not knowing that he was a traitor. Am I wrong in my assumptions, Your Highness? Should I not be concerned with what has been said about Ms. Stackhouse in our world?" I shoved my hands into my pockets. "I'm not sure of who all knows of her but I'm sure that it's crossed your mind. You must realize that a telepath is a great asset for a king to have in his kingdom. You even said so. Imagine the many vampires, Weres, and shifters that are waiting to meet her … to hire out her services. I hope that you thought of the possibility that you're not the only one that knows of her, Your Majesty. We live in the world of the vampire. Loyalty is a rarity." My phone buzzed at just the right moment. After reading the message, I said, "Sookie is a very popular young lady. That's why it's imperative that I'm always with her. Always." I waved my phone at the king before putting in back in my pocket.

"See?" Sookie agreed. "I'm very popular."

Salome looked as if she was the cat that ate the canary. She has always been one that uses logical thinking. From the look on her face, I can almost guarantee that she'd advised Bill of the possibilities and he wouldn't listen. He never listens because he's the king and thinks that he knows everything. Obviously, he doesn't know enough to realize the value of a telepath. And the glance that he gave Salome, proved that I was right. Two underlings have given him the same scenario and he, the great king of Louisiana, hadn't thought of anything other than making Sookie his. "Don't worry about that, Sheriff," he ordered. "I am well aware of what's going on in my kingdom. Salome and I have already begun the process of letting the supe world know that Ms. Stackhouse is a part of my kingdom."

Salome looked at the king through hooded eyes and shook her head in disbelief. Something she'd already told him to do and he hadn't done it. She looked at me and Sookie and said, "I've not been made aware this process but I guess we have."

Bill looked at her over his shoulder and rolled his eyes at her.

"What about the bond?" Sookie interjected as she stood from her seat. "Are you going to tell them about the bond that Eric and I have? You will tell them that I am his." It was clear to everyone in the room that she wasn't asking him a question.

"Yes," he answered slowly. "They will be made aware of everything. Salome." He looked at her over his shoulder and nodded.

A look of pure rage was on her face. She realized at that moment that she was never going to have Sookie. "Yes, sir," she said. She winked and blew Sookie a kiss before gliding from the room.

Sookie rolled her eyes and shook her head at the vampiress. Nodding to the king caused her blonde ponytail to land on her shoulder. "Good," she said as she looked up at me. "That's good."

"And now that we're clear on the status of Ms. Stackhouse in my kingdom," Bill began. "You will not accept _any_ appointments from any other supes regardless of where they reside or their species. I take precedence over everyone else. I am her next client. You will do this, Sheriff."

"I will," I agreed. "If we are done here, Sookie and I will take our leave." I placed my hand on the small of her back as I spoke with Bill. "We would like to thank you for allowing us this opportunity to meet with you, Your Majesty. I would also like to make you aware of the evidence that we've provided as further proof of what Quinn did to Sookie. His blood is saturated in her clothing."

Bill nodded. "I have been given the evidence and you have my word that Ms. Stackhouse will be safe. And whomever hired the were-tiger, they will be made to pay for their crime."

Sookie curtsied. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Before we could turn to leave, Bill said, "And, Ms. Stackhouse?"

"Yes?" she answered.

Bill stood from his desk and walked slowly and deliberately to where we were. He stopped in front of Sookie. "I meant none of what I said. I would have never tried to take you away from your master."

Sookie began to shake her head no. Calmly and evenly, she said, "I don't believe you. You meant _every_ word that you said. You had every intention of _trying_ to take me away from him. My heritage is the only thing that stopped you. If I were anyone else, you would have succeeded but fear kept you in your place."

"My place." His voice deepened by two octaves.

She cocked her head to the side and said, "Yes. Your place."

He made a move to step closer to her but I stopped him. "Be careful, Your Majesty. You know the laws. You don't touch what is mine regardless of your status."

Bill looked up at me as he pulled at his suit jacket. His body stiffened as his eyes darkened. "I don't fear your grandfather, Ms. Stackhouse. You will do well to know this but I can see why you say that. I know that my earlier behavior was less than becoming of a king and would give one reason to doubt my sincerity. The Viking," he said as he eyed me briefly. "He has a valuable asset that any king or queen would want. I let my … eagerness of obtaining you for myself, get the better of me. And because of my behavior, I won't hold your skepticism of me against you." He paused for effect. "I would have never gone back on my word. I would never take you away from your master. When you come to me, you will come to me of your own free will."

She stood closer to me and wrapped her arm around my waist. "Never."

He smiled at her as he continued. "I know that you don't believe me but I stand by my word. You intrigue me, Ms. Stackhouse. I wanted to see how far I could push you. I wanted to see if you'd fight for what you want and you did. I admire you." His smile turned into a sneer as he looked at me. He reached out to touch her but she wasn't having any of that.

She stepped away from him. "I'm Eric's."

Bill laughed heartily, coldly. "You are a very lucky vampire, Eric. Your riches are abundant."

"They are," I replied.

"And, Ms. Stackhouse?"

She rolled her eyes before answering him. "Yes."

"Do you agree to letting me hire out your services?" His hands were crossed in front of him as he waited for her answer.

"Sure," she replied. "Once Pam has been found and returned to Eric, I'm sure that he'll say that it's okay. He's fair. Eric and I will work it out so that you will come before any other jobs that may be pending. You are the king and you come before the little people. You're much more important than they are. Is that what you wanted us to say? If it is, we're on it. Eric and I will do the next job that you have lined up for me. Is that okay? Good." She boldly answered for him. "We'll call you."

Bill shook his head at her. "Jumping to conclusions is not a becoming trait, Ms. Stackhouse, but I do appreciate your offer. As soon as she's found, I expect you to come to me." He looked at me and said, "Both of you."

"We will," I answered.

"I have one more request of you, Ms. Stackhouse?"

"Hmm?" she answered.

He turned to walk away from her as he began to speak. "I will be calling you tomorrow to see if my name has been removed from your suspect list. I plan on proving to you that I shouldn't be on it."

Sookie filled the office with laughter. "Not a chance."

Bill glanced at her over his shoulder with a smile plastered to his face. To me, he said, "Keep me aware of the night's events, Sheriff. Call me as soon as the meeting is over. I want to know everything."

"I will."

"Good evening, Ms. Stackhouse."

"Until next time, Your Majesty," she replied. "Because there will be a next time."

"Indeed," he answered.

* * *

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

* * *

She began to brush wisps of hair from my face as she stared into my eyes. "What do you want from me?" she whispered as she tucked her bottom lip between her teeth.

"I want to ravish your body and brand you with my scent," I admitted. "I want to make love to you and ruin you for any other being in this world. I want to make you mine for the rest of my existence. I want to wake up to you each night. Every morning before the sunrise, I want to go to rest with you by my side. I want you, Sookie Stackhouse. Every inch of you. I want you to give yourself to me. I want you to give me forever. _That_ is what I want from you."

She closed her eyes and threw her head back as her body filled with lust. The sound of her heart pounding in her chest caused my 'friend' to throb ever so slightly. She looked down at me and smiled. "I can't give you forever. I like being alive."

"You like being alive," I repeated.

"So, what do we do _now_?" she asked.

As I bit into my finger, I answered, "I heal you."

She licked her lips as she looked at the bead of blood as it sat on the tip of my finger. Soon, those pink, swollen lips were wrapped around my finger. She closed her eyes as she began to grind herself against me. I wrapped my arms around her waist as I returned the favor. Her arms were soon wrapped around my neck. My hands were on her waist as I held her into place. Her moans were driving me to distraction. The shudder of body as she came was more than I could stand. I buried my face in her hair as we came together. She raised her head to look at me. "I can only imagine what it'll be like when you ravish me."

"I will bring you much pleasure, my lover."

She closed her eyes and moaned again. When she composed herself, she asked, "Now, what do we do?"

I would have loved a bit more of Sookie Stackhouse but we had business to take care of. I placed her onto the passenger seat as I revealed our plans for the evening. "The colonel called while we were with Bill."

She began to giggle. "Was he the 'supposed jobs' that keep lining up?"

"Most definitely," I answered. "He wanted to let us know that they're still having their pack meeting. It's going longer than anticipated. He said that they would be done in an hour. We can go to the warehouse and wait or we can go to your apartment and get some of your things and take them to my home." A look came over her face. "You don't have to sleep with me, Sookie, until you are ready. I have extra rooms upstairs. I would never …"

She rapidly shook her head no. "No," she hurriedly said. "It's not that. We can discuss that later. I have something better that we can do. I know exactly what we can do."

I leaned over and nuzzled her neck. "I'm more than willing to do whatever you want to do. Remove your dress. Your lace panties. Your frilly bra. Anything that you want me to remove for your body, I will remove. Slowly. Purposely." I continued to kiss and lick her neck.

She laughed as she playfully fought against me. As a vampire, I've never known for a human woman to feel comfortable with me. I have been with women and men that have been willing to do whatever I've asked of them but there have always been hints of fear from them. They were always guarded … always on edge … always waiting for me to become the monster that I am. But not Sookie. Just moments ago, she was sitting on my lap letting me taste her sweet mouth and now she's laughing with me. Not feeling an ounce of fear. Though it's for safety reasons, she's willing to move in with me. She feels safe with me … a vampire. Practically a stranger to her. She's not afraid even though she's fully aware of what I am and what I can do. She's shared her most valuable secrets with me without worrying that I could possibly betray her. Because she's a Brigant, she should fear everything there is to fear about the vampire race but she doesn't. It's almost as if she fears nothing. Even after what she's been through in her young life, she shows no fear … no signs of giving up … no signs of wanting to give up. Her mother and father have betrayed her in the worst ways; though on different levels. She stood up to the king. She defied him and Salome. She offered him her services but only after we find Pam. She called him out on his bullshit. She laughed at him in his face. She claimed me as hers. She is fucking amazing.

"I think I'm falling for you," I whispered. And it scares me.

Still smiling but staring into my eyes, she said, "I know. You can't help it." She leaned in and kissed me.

I returned the kiss before turning away from her. I'm falling for her and it's scared me. I don't like feeling like this. In over a thousand years, I've never felt like this.

She cocked her head to the side as she studied the side of my face. The light in her eyes dimmed a bit.

I turned to her and said, "Tell me what it is that we can do that requires you to keep your clothes on."

She stared long and hard at me before answering. "I want to know if you know where the Marine lives. The one that worked for Pam. His name was Reynaldo. He was the one that installed the panic room that had the extra surveillance equipment. Jake and I believe that he may have had the main surveillance system at his home. If he did, we would be able to see exactly what happened that morning. Do you remember meeting him?"

"I do." I remembered him. Pam was impressed by his credentials. She said that he was the most trustworthy of those under her employment. She'd even suggested that I use him. "I know exactly where he lives." I reached across her and opened the dashboard. I removed a lone key and slip of paper. For the first time since Pam gave it to me, I opened it. As I read it, my thoughts lingered before I folded it in half. "He used to work in some elite group of Marines that did covert work for the government. After he'd gotten hurt on one of the missions, he could no longer serve his country. He did a few civilian jobs but they never led to much so he decided to work for the vampires. Much like you, he said that he needed adventure. And exactly like you, he answered an ad that Pam placed in the paper. She read over his credentials and hired him on the spot. He did her normal surveillance and he was her day man. She had a couple of others that worked for her but he, Reynaldo, he was her most trusted. She would never let anyone know it but she admired that man. Come to think of it," I added. "He admired her. He adored Pam. There were times when she'd have to make him go home. He took his job of protecting her, seriously."

"I can see that," she said. "Pam has a gruff exterior but I can see why he'd adore her. She's funny and loyal. I see why he'd trust her. Tell me something, though. When the threat of her safety came into play, did she tell him? Did he know?"

"Not at first. She believed that he was spending too much time watching her. A few days before she was taken, she let him know what was going on." I smiled. "She said that he became almost unbearable."

"Because he loved her," I whispered. Speaking so that I could hear her, she said, "Pam's a vampire but she has good in her. I can see it. She has a good heart. She's strong and pleasant in an understated kinda way … not really but she has the potential to be … if she wanted to be." She shook her head as she laughed. "But she doesn't want to."

"She does not," I agreed. "She has integrity. Though they were never lovers, Pam and Reynaldo were very good friend. He gave her a key to his home." I squeezed the key in my hand before placing it and the slip of paper into my pocket. "She wanted me to use him to set up the surveillance at my homes. I didn't do as she asked. I should have. He's the one that installed the hidden cameras at Fangtasia. She told me that he was the best at what he did." I nodded and said, "Let's go and see what we can find out."

Sookie became giddy as she bounced in the seat and clapped her hands. "I knew that you'd know where he lived. We're going to have Pam home before you know it." She reached across her body and pulled the seatbelt into place. She looked at me and smiled. " _You_ are not on my suspects list."

I laughed as I cranked my car and drove us to our destination. I expected that we would talk about what happened tonight but the car ride was a quiet one. Even the walk into Reynaldo's home was quiet. I thought that she'd have something to say about the cobblestoned walkway or the flowers that lined the driveway. I thought that she'd mention the comment that she'd made at the king's compound. I was curious as to what she meant when she said that 'he was right'. I was curious as to who 'he' is. I was wrong. She said nothing. Though I couldn't tell, she seemed to have something on her mind. I couldn't tell what it was because the bond was as blank as her face. I wondered if I'd done or said something wrong. I wondered if she was upset because we don't have any time to be alone. I wondered how she's able to block me from feeling her through the bond. I wondered why it bothered me so much. And then I thought that I was sounding like an insecure human. I am Eric Northman and if I'm anything, insecure isn't it. "Enough of that," I mumbled as I inserted the key into the front door of Reynaldo's home.

"Hmm?" she said.

"Nothing," I answered as I opened the door.

Sookie and I had just walked into the cleanest human home I'd ever been in. The place was pristine. Nothing was out of place. The home smelled as if it's been sanitized. And once again, I was wondering. "Stay here," I ordered Sookie. I blurred through the home and checked every room. I checked the backyard and the woods that outlined the house. And nothing was there. I went back inside and Sookie was standing where I'd left her.

"Safe?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Yeah. I figured it would be. Maybe he was just a neat freak," she said. "He was a Marine. They live by a certain standard."

"Maybe," I said.

She sighed as she placed her hands on her hips. "So," she began. "I think that we should start in the kitchen. If he has an oversized pantry, I'm guessing that's where the safe room's going to be because that's where Pam's was."

When we went into the kitchen, there was an oversized pantry. I traced my hand over the outside of the pantry and I could feel it. I could feel the cool air that was blowing from the crevice in the crack of the door. "The shelves," I said. "We need to clean the shelves." The cans were stacked so high, I knew that the latch had to behind them.

She blew her bangs off her forehead as we began to clean the shelves of the pantry of any food that it was holding. "Once we're inside, what's going to happen? I know that he wouldn't have left the security systems unprotected. How are we going to get in? I'll better dollars to Doritos that he has a password. There is no way he didn't have a password."

Once the shelves were clean, I traced my hand under and above each shelf so that I could find what we needed. "I'm certain that he had a password. He apparently was no fool. But I'll bet that he never expected anyone to know that he would have the main system in his home. He's not supposed to. What vampire would trust a human to have this type of control over his or her life? This had to have been something that he and Pam put together and spoke not a word to anyone else that she employed."

"Not even you?" she asked.

Soon, there was a click. "She told me," I answered. "I just didn't know it." That's when I pulled the slip of paper from my pocket. I handed it to Sookie.

She opened and read it before looking up at me. "Pam's Marine. That's the password to get into the security system."

"That's what I'm thinking," I agreed. "When she handed it to me, she said that if anything ever happens, I'll know what it is. I didn't take her seriously. Pam has always been a drama queen. There have been quite a few instances when she's told me things that she perceived to be an emergency. They weren't. She'd broken a heel on her shoe and it was the last of its kind or she needed to get a new piece of furniture because they 'are never going to make highboys again'. I assumed that the slip of paper and the key was another one of Pam's fake emergencies. As you said, I'll bet Doritos to dollars that we can access the security systems with that slip of paper."

She shook her head at me as she handed me the paper. "Dollars to Doritos."

"What?"

"It's dollars to Doritos."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Whatever."

I pulled the pantry door open and I was in awe. I now wish that I'd used Pam's Marine. The equipment in the room was the most sophisticated equipment I'd ever seen. Computers, telephones, camera, motions sensors. Whatever he needed, he had it. Knowing Pam and knowing the importance of her safety, I'm sure that she gave him unlimited access to my credit cards. There were fifteen consoles on the wall. None of them were on. I went back to the kitchen to grab a chair for Sookie. I took the chair in front of the control panel and placed hers next to mine. I pushed on the system and watched as it slowly came to life. The password bar was sitting prominently in the middle of the screen.

"Pam's Marine," I mumbled as I typed.

We could soon see the outside of Pam's home. The pool area. The shed. Even the edges of her woods were being filmed. We could see inside her garage. Her white mini-van sat perfectly in the middle of it. A mini-van. A vampire driving a mini-van. I'll never understand it. Anyway, nothing was going to get past Reynaldo. He was going to make sure of it. "If this were anyone else, I'd question why he needed to watch her so closely." Maybe I should question why he was watching her so closely. I looked at Sookie. "You and Jake need to return tomorrow to check out the rest of his home. Anything that looks suspicious, bring it to me. Notebooks. Pictures. Anything that you find, I want it."

"Okay." Her eyes bounced from screen to screen. "I'll bet that if there are cameras in the garage, there are cameras in the shed," Sookie said. "We'll be able to see who put the Weres in there."

"Possible," I said. Instead of checking the shed, I wanted to check the inside of Pam's home. I looked down at the control panel and pressed the interior button. If I didn't know any better, I would have never guessed that Pam's home had been the scene of multiple murders. It was beautiful and clean. Her home looked as it always has. The only thing that was missing was her. I almost expected her to walk through the doors. Longing hit me and it me hard.

Sookie placed her hand on my shoulder. "We're going to find her."

"I know." Though my voice was cold and hard, she didn't remove her hand.

"The very beginning?" she asked.

I started the feed from the beginning of that night.


	30. Chapter 30

**30**

 **It is Going to Be a Very Long Night**

 **I know. I know that I said a couple of days but at least I got it posted in the same week, right? The first half of the chapter will be what happened outside of Pam's house just before the massacre that took place inside. Please, enjoy. Thank you all for reading, alerting, reviewing, and making this story a favorite. I appreciate each of you. The characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine.**

* * *

Maxwell stood back and watched the vampires as they listened to Heidi play the piano. "Come," Pam said. With her elbows, she was propping herself up on the back of the piano. Her hips were swaying seductively to the music. "Join us." She motioned for him to come to her. "We can dance the moon to sleep."

"Soon, my friend," he said to her. He stood back and continued to watch them.

"I will be waiting," she sang. She was soon spinning herself in circles as she danced. She had a beautiful smile on her face.

"And I will be here."

He liked them. All of them. They were loyal and they were true. They always have been. He didn't want to kill them but he had no choice. He couldn't Pam if they weren't dead. He needlessly sighed at the idea of killing them. It was chore that he wished he didn't have to do. Since he's been walking this world, he'd never met a better group of vampires. He smiled as he stared at his so-called friends. He said so-called because if they were his real friends, he'd die right along with them. Shame crept into his heart. The night started out as it usually did. He, Pam, Heidi, Clancy and Charles did their shifts at Fangtasia. They tormented the humans that approached them with their stupid questions and requests. They mocked a few of them. They fed from a few of them. They made sure that everyone was having a great time. They laughed and talked with each other. They enjoyed each others company. They stayed until the bar closed. They always stayed until the bar closed. Everyone that is but Eric.

He seemed to be preoccupied with the human called Sookie. While he was out with his new toy, the telepath, they were entertaining the vermin. It made Maxwell laugh to think that the sheriff believed that he could keep the girl's talents a secret. If he wanted to keep it a secret, he should have told the girl to not tell anyone else at the bar what she does. As soon as Long Shadow learned of what she could do, he couldn't wait to tell the others. He was the one that suggested they keep her gifts quiet. He let them know that Eric seemed to have a thing for the virgin. He told them that Eric protected her from a guy that 'manhandled' her.

"That was their first meeting," Long Shadow said. "He normally doesn't give a shit about those women in the bar." He leaned across the table and pointed at Maxwell. "You should've seen him, Maxie. He gave a shit about her. And that's a good thing. We could use her to get what we want from him."

And he was right. If things didn't go as planned with Pam, they could use his sweet little human to get what they wanted. The first night they'd met her, he could see that Eric felt something for the girl. He was holding her hand for pity's sake. It made him chuckle to think that Long Shadow was finally right about something and he wouldn't get to know it. His dumb ass was now as dead as a doornail. He never understood why Long Shadow glamored the human. He'd been glamored with what he needed to say when questioned. He shook his head in disappointment. It wasn't often that Long Shadow came up with a good idea. They all agreed to keep the plan as it was for now. They were going to take Pam and save the telepath for later. And though he felt bad about what he had to do, Maxwell knew what his role was. He's not a friend. He was there to do a job. Nothing more. Nothing less.

He walked out the backdoor of Pam's home. He looked as if he was patrolling the grounds. It was something that he'd done every night since he'd been protecting her. They each had shifts. His shifts were always the ones that were closer to dawn. Because he's the oldest, the sun doesn't have as strong a pull on him as it does the others. He has been known to stay up to an hour past dawn. Though it's not a frequency, it's something that he can do. He shoved his hands into his pockets as he closed his eyes and held his face up to the moon. He imagined that it was the sun. There have been nights when he's missed the sun terribly. His wife, his sweet Julia, loved the sun. He used to love to see the sweat on her caramel colored skin as it glistened in the sunlight. Her curly hair would have flecks of sunlight shining through it as she'd hang the clothes on the line. Her white gown would flutter around her legs as she twirled around and around. Her smile was the most beautiful thing he'd ever had the pleasure of seeing. And those lips. Those lips were his greatest weakness.

"And she was mine," he whispered to the night.

"Hey," Clancy said from behind him. "I told you that I'd take this shift tonight. I don't feel like dancing with Pam. She gets on my fucking nerves talking about how I have no rhythm and I have the moves of a tree stump." He began to shake his head. "I just can't deal with that shit tonight, man. I'm not in the mood for her. Shit, if I didn't think Eric would beat the fuck out of me, I'd leave."

Maxwell laughed. "I'll dance with her. Give me ten minutes and I'll be in and you can take over. I just need a bit of fresh air tonight."

"Thanks, man," Clancy said. "You don't know how much I appreciate this. I owe you one. I can't wait until this is over and Pam and Eric can go on with their lives." He patted Maxwell on the back as he headed back to the house.

He watched the vampire walk away before glaring at the house. The look of peace was all but gone. Anger and hate coursed through him. In the vampire world, he was considered different. He didn't want what the others wanted. He didn't want power. It has never interested him. He didn't need a kingdom and he sure as shit didn't want a position on the king's court. He wasn't interested in any of what they had planned for the Northman. He didn't give two fucks about their plan. He wanted revenge against the Northman. This was his chance and he was going to fucking take it. If he dies, then so it shall be. It was a certainty if Eric got his hands on him but so what? This isn't the life that he wanted. If not for his maker, he'd have met the sun centuries ago. He wanted to be a husband and a father. He didn't want to be a fucking creature of the night. If the plan to destroy the Northman comes to pass, he welcomes death. If he gets what he wants, it'll all be worth it. His head suddenly jerked to the left. They were coming. He blurred to the front of the house to meet the Weres. The headlights of their muscle car shone brightly as they drove up the driveway. He waved at them as they parked the car behind the guardhouse.

"How's it going, Maxie?" Grayson called out as he slammed the driver's side door. "Find anything?"

Maxwell shook his head no. "Peaceful so far."

Landon and Chase got out of the backseat and were arguing about who's the best basketball player to have ever played the game. "Michael Jordan is the best fucking player ever. How in hell can you even compare Larry Bird to him? They aren't even in the same fucking league … basketball league, yes. But as a player? Get the fuck out of here with that shit, man." Landon was pointing at the iPad screen as he made his argument. "You don't know shit about this game if you consider Larry Bird to be better than Jordan. You need to stick with girls' softball. That's more your speed. You're fucking ridiculous and you need to deal with that." He pointed and winked at Chase as he laughed.

Chase growled out in frustration. "Fuck you. I don't watch girls' softball out of habit. My daughter plays and I have to go to the games. Jolynn would kick my ass if I didn't go and you know it. And you fucking chump, Larry Bird is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, three-point shooter to have ever lived. Michael Jordan wishes that he could play as well as the Bird. You have to see what I'm saying, Landon. I know that you're a Jordan fan but come on. Give Larry his props. At least admit that the man can play the game."

"What fucking props?" Landon asked. "He's lucky he never had to face the humiliation that Air Jordan would have put on him. His props are that he retired when he did. Miss me with that shit, man."

"Same conversation again, fellas?" Maxwell asked.

"Every damned night," Grayson complained. "If I have to sit through one more throwback basketball game, I'm going to choke the life out of both of 'em." He shook his head in jest.

Maxwell looked in the car and noticed that two of the Weres were missing. "Where's Allen and Daniel? Aren't they coming tonight?"

Chase and Landon didn't hear him. They were still talking about basketball. Grayson had to answer him. "They're coming. They had to meet with the colonel." He looked behind Maxwell and asked, "How have things been tonight? Is she okay?"

"She's fine … ornery as usual," Maxwell answered. "She's in there listening to Heidi play the piano. I'm going to head inside and dance with her. She loves to dance but I can't go in right now. I have something that I have to take care of."

That caught Chase and Landon's attention. "What's up?" Landon asked. "Has something happened?"

"Need any help?" Chase asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

Before the Weres knew happened, Landon and Chase were dead. Their heads were no longer attached to their bodies. Grayson's arms had been ripped from the sockets. He never got a chance to scream because his throat had been ripped out. Maxwell left the bodies in the driveway as he moved Grayson's prized '54 Chevy behind the house. Just as he appeared from behind the house, Daniel and Allen were standing over the bodies of the Weres. They were soon sniffing the corpses of their friends to get what they needed. They were ripping their clothes off and were in the process of shifting when Maxwell approached them.

"You," Daniel growled. "You did this." The Weres shifted and went after the vampire. They were able to get in a few bites and scratches but they weren't enough to take Maxwell down. They soon resembled their fellow pack members. Maxwell proceeded to drive Allen's truck to the back of Pam's house. Once he'd hidden the cars, he proceeded to go into the garage and change his clothes. He had a duplicate outfit on hand just for the night. Tweed blazer, white button-down shirt and a pair of jeans. No one will ever know that he's killed five innocent Weres. With his hands shoved into his pockets, he walked back to the guardhouse and waited. But he didn't have to wait long.

The black van appeared on time.

The humans got out of the van with their assault weapons ready and loaded with wooden bullets. They walked to where their master stood; waiting for their instructions. "Put the bodies in the shed. Every piece. Spray down the driveway. Leave nothing behind."

A man spoke up. "Master?"

He nodded.

"The car will be here in fifteen minutes," the man said.

"Good," he said. "Now get to work."

Without hesitation, they did as they were ordered.

Whistling, Maxwell went back into the house. Everything was falling into place. Soon, he'd have his revenge.

* * *

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

* * *

Sookie frowned as she looked at me. "Why didn't they hear it? Why didn't Pam and the others hear them fighting?" She pointed at the screen and said, "Someone had to hear something."

"Soundproof," I said. "Pam hates the noise of the cars that drive through her neighborhood. She's always said that when she's in her home, she wants to hear nothing but the clicking her heels on the hardwood floors."

She nodded as she looked at the screen. We were now watching the inside of the house. Heidi was playing the piano. Maxwell and Pam were dancing. Charles was on alert. She turned away when she saw Clancy exploding in the doorway. She began talking about what took place outside of Pam's house. "They had families," Sookie whispered. "The guy was just talking about his daughter. Did you see how he talked to those Weres as if he was their friend? He was laughing with them and then he just killed them. They didn't matter at all to him. I hope that Jake doesn't have to watch this. I don't want him to see what happened to his friends."

I was suddenly hit with a pang of jealousy. "Why?"

She sighed. "Because he thought that they would've fought to very end." She shook her head sadly. "They never knew what was coming. They never stood a chance against Maxwell. They just died. They were murdered."

There was nothing that I could say to that.

"And those men in the van," she said. "Did you see them? They're awful people. They're standing around the van laughing and carrying on as if nothing has happened. They're acting like they've done nothing wrong. They put the bodies of dead men in a shed. Did you see how they were acting? How can they do that?" She looked at the side of my face as she talked. "Why is that okay?"

"It's not," I assured her. "But some humans will do anything for money."

She sighed as she glanced briefly at the screen. "I guess our worlds aren't that much different … supes and humans."

I pulled out my cell phone and called Thalia. She answered on the first ring. "Eric," she said. "I've been waiting for your call. I'm bored to fucking death sitting here with absolutely nothing to do. I hate your fucking bar and the things that frequent it. Get me out of here … now."

"Come to 1225 East Breeze Lane. It's the third house on the right. Be here in fifteen minutes. You have a lot of work to do."

I could almost see the smile on her face. "I can't wait."

I put my phone back in my pocket as I stared at the computer screen. Maxwell had thrown Pam over his shoulder. He looked up at the camera and smiled.

"Did you see that?" she asked, surprised filled her voice. "Did you see him look in the camera and smile?"

I was too angry to answer her so I nodded.

"Eric, I have a question."

I looked at her.

"Why did Maxwell wait so close to dawn to carry out his plan? Was it because of you?"

"No," I acknowledged. "It had nothing to do with me. I wouldn't have gotten to Pam's home in time. Vampires are weaker when it gets closer to dawn. He waited to for the dawn because he's smart. The younger you are, the harder it is for them to fight off the effects of the sun. They're not at their best when it comes to a fight. But a vampire Maxwell's age, can stay up a little longer. He isn't at his strongest but he's still strong … very strong."

"Stronger than Pam, Heidi, Clancy, and Charles."

"Very."

She pointed at the screen and said, "Go back to the black van. I want to see if we can maybe zoom in on their faces or at least the license plates. We have to be able to find something that we can use to find them."

I recalled the look on her face when Maxwell killed the first Were. I wasn't too sure that her watching it one more time was going to be for the best. "Thalia can do that," I said. "You don't need to see …"

"I'm not weak, Eric. I can do this," she assured me. "This is my job. If I can at least see their faces, maybe I can see if I recognize any of them. Maybe you could recognize one of them. Don't do this to me. Don't act as if I can't handle what's happened or what will happen. Don't treat me like some delicate flower because I'm not. I'm working for a vampire. I've already had one vampire explode on me. I've seen a human get his neck snapped. I saw you rip a vampire's legs right from his body. The other one, I don't even know what happened to him. I just know he was splattered all over the car window. I saw a girl that was drained to death and we left her body in the back of an ambulance. Quinn attacked me and I'm still here. I'm not broken. I can do this. I'm not afraid."

"Whatever you say," I remarked. And so, we watched it again. She scribbled in her notebook. The number of men that were in the van. How many doors the van had. The make and possible model of the van. She leaned in closer to the screen before slamming her fist onto the desk. "If this equipment is so damned great, why can't I see their faces better?" She flopped back in her chair. She placed her arm over her eyes. "This is so ridiculous."

Her fervor made me smile.

She peeked at me from under her arm. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," I said.

Sookie leaned forward and rested her arms on the desk as she stared at the screens. "Something's gotta give, Eric." She picked up her pen and began doodling in her notebook. "I got the feeling that Dawn's not going to tell us anything. She's too far gone. If you had seen the look on her face when Jake put her in the cell, you'd agree with me. She almost looked happy. She wanted to kill me and she would have too. If she'd been given the chance, she would've killed me."

"She wouldn't have been given the chance," I assured her.

"Nothing's ever certain," she said.

"Why do you say that?"

She shrugged her shoulders and said, "Just isn't."

"Why does this mean so much to you?"

She sat cross legged as she talked to me. "Because I like Pam and I don't want anything to happen to her. Because I like you and you're ..." She opened her mouth to say more but stopped herself. "I want Pam to come home. She should be at home and not in some prison cell somewhere. She shouldn't have to wonder what's going to happen to her or if you're okay. She shouldn't have to carry the burden of someone else's problems. She doesn't deserve that."

I scooted my chair in front of hers. "And you shouldn't carry the burden of this."

She stared into my eyes as she frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I think that you've done enough," I answered. "You've done a great job but you've been through enough. And you're right. You've gone through a lot since you've been working for me. Tonight, the situation with Quinn alone, I don't …"

She jumped up from her chair and glared down at me. "No, you are not," she said angrily. "You will not use what happened to me as an excuse to send me home. I am going to keep working this case until we solve it. We are going to do this together, Eric Northman. I am with you until the very end. I will take a break after it's done and not a minute sooner. Do you get what I'm telling you? I'm not going anywhere."

I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest. I failed to hide my amusement. "You do realize that I'm your boss. You don't make the rules around here. I do. I make the decisions."

"Not today, you don't … not where I'm concerned," she said. "You hired me to do a job and I'm going to do it. And ... and we have a contract. You're going to abide by that contract. _And_ ," she said a bit too loudly. "I'm going to add a provision to the contract that you can't just take me off a job because you feel like it and if you even think about taking me off this case, I will sue you. I will hire an attorney and I will sue you for breach of contract and I'm sure that my grandfather will help me." She nodded her head defiantly. "So, there."

I couldn't believe my ears. "You would hire a lawyer so that you can sue me? You would do this with the money that _I_ pay you?"

"You're darned right I would," she promised.

Laughter filled the room but it was neither of us.

Thalia stood over Sookie and placed her hand on her shoulder. "So, this is the sweet little human that has you befuddled."

I stood up and said, "I've never been befuddled a day in my life."

Thalia rolled her eyes at me. "Whatever." She took the seat that I'd vacated and sat down. She nudged me out the way with her knee. She looked up at Sookie and introduced herself. "I'm Thalia. It's nice to meet you, Sookie. It's especially nice to meet someone that's not afraid to put Mr. Highhanded in his place."

"You too," she said. She scooted her chair close to Thalia's before sitting. "So, what you are going to do?"

"I'm going to blow your fucking mind," Thalia answered. "I'm a genius on a computer." She pointed at the screen. "Everything that you've seen on this screen tonight will be as clear as you've ever seen it and the faces in this dramedy, will be on paper and in living color by tomorrow morning. Those fucking idiots will have nowhere to hide once I'm done with them."

Sookie scooted in even closer to Thalia. "Seriously?"

The vampiress winked at Sookie. "You got it."

"Can I watch?" Sookie asked.

"Sure. You might learn something."

Sookie nodded. "That's the plan. Hey?"

"What?" Thalia never looked up from the computer keys.

"Why did you call what's happened a dramedy?"

She glanced at Sookie briefly. "Because to me, this shit is nothing but drama and comedy. It's funny that someone would have the gall to take something that belongs to the Northman. They mustn't realize that life as they know it will be over soon. Hell, they need to believe that there's a bit of laughter left in life because as soon as they're found, they will die."

Sookie thought of what Thalia said. She looked up at me and nodded. "Yeah. I can see that happening."

"And it will," Thalia said. "Mark my words." She was soon smiling. "Look at that." She had the footage from the morning of the attack up on the screen. Sookie's friend, Andy, was standing at the door talking to a man. A man that neither of us had ever seen. "Who is he, Eric? I know that Pam hasn't started taking male lovers since I've been gone. She can't be that desperate." Again, she looked at Sookie and winked.

Sookie giggled.

I leaned in close to the screen and shook my head. "She hasn't."

"Andy told me about him." Sookie was off and running … telling Thalia about the man that answered Pam's door. "Andy said that he looks like a vampire, he's so pale. I need his picture. I need a clear picture of him because for him to be in the house after the killing, he must know something. There must be a reason why Maxwell left him behind."

"You got it," Thalia replied.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Sookie soon had her arm draped over the back of Thalia's chair … lightly touching her leg with hers. If anyone else had been bold enough to get this close to Thalia, she would have pushed them so far away from her, they would have been in another room but she did nothing. She was comfortable with Sookie. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that they've been friends for years. Thalia was entertaining Sookie's questions with enthusiasm and verve. Sookie was scribbling in her notebook. She was nodding her head as Thalia showed her which controls worked which screen. If I told Pam of what was happening, and I will, she won't believe me. She won't believe how friendly Thalia is being with Sookie. Thalia hates everyone. Absolutely everyone. I can't …

The ringing of my phone interrupted my musings. "It is Eric."

Sookie looked at me and smiled. "He's too much," she said to Thalia.

Nodding, Thalia agreed. "Always has been."

"I believe you."

Thalia looked at me and started laughing. "When the time is right, I have some great stories to tell you about Eric. You're going to bust a gut." She looked at me from the corner of her eye. "He hasn't always been as cool as he appears to be. Isn't that right, Eric?"

I wanted to tell Thalia to keep quiet about any stories that would make Sookie bust a gut but I couldn't do that. I gave her the evil eye instead … not that it will do any good. If not for this call, I would have pulled the sheriff card on my underling. I left the room and gave the Colonel my undivided attention. "Is it time?"

"It is," he answered. "The girl is under surveillance as we speak. Thalia's children are here. And from what I gather, Salome is coming in tonight. She wants to watch Sookie in action. What does that mean?"

That was an obvious surprise to me and it's no surprise that I ignored the colonel's question about Sookie. He'd find out soon enough. "We just left her and the king a little over an hour ago."

"Well, she must miss you because she's on her way." He chuckled. "She should be here in the next twenty minutes."

"Shit." They want to know if Sookie's truly a telepath. They want to be sure that Sookie's telling the truth about what she can do. This is Salome's chance to report everything that she sees back to the king. The same king that wants to take my woman away from me. I will kill him first.

"You got that right." The colonel then cleared his throat. "That girl, Dawn, she's going to be a hard one to break. Since she's been in the cage, she's been smiling. That girl fears nothing, Eric." I could almost see the colonel running his hand through his graying hair. In a softer voice, he said, "She's different. We're going to have to be hard on her. Do you think that Sookie's going to be able to handle it? Does she realize what we do when we're here? This isn't a Sunday social, Eric. You should prepare her for what she's going to see. She must be made fully aware that she's no longer in the human world. What she sees tonight, could break her … could change her. Are you sure that you want that for her? She's a good kid and I don't want to fuck her up, you know?"

I returned to the room that housed Sookie and Thalia. I stood in the doorway and stared at the girl that walked into my bar. There she sits in a prim and proper dress. Her ponytail was hanging beautifully over her shoulder. Her eyes are as bright as the sun. Her innocence was more than apparent. The Colonel was right. I don't want her to lose her light or her innocence. It's a rarity in our world. It's refreshing to see. I could tell her that the meeting has been postponed and send her home. The meeting with the Weres is going to run longer than expected. We're going to have to question the girl some other time. The girl will be there tomorrow. That's what I'll say to her. I won't give her any other choice. She can't go. "I'll speak with you soon, Colonel." I ended the call and placed my phone back into my pocket.

"What's up?" Sookie asked as she spun around in her seat.

And I looked into her eyes and I knew what I needed to do. I couldn't lie to her. That's not me. I want Sookie to know that she can trust me and I don't want to ruin that by lying to her. "It's time. The Were meeting is over. They're ready for us to question Dawn but before we go, there are some things that you need to know. You need to be aware of what's going to happen. Tonight, we get what we need from her. It won't be pleasant. It won't be easy."

I could hear her heart thundering in her chest.

I moved closer to where she was as I explained the rules of our world. "What you're going to see tonight is the stuff that nightmares are made of. This is not the human world. We don't believe in human punishments … not even for the humans. When they decide to become a part of this world, they are no longer allowed human punishments. There is no lengthy trial. There is no long jail sentence. Their cries of innocence are ignored when they are found to be guilty. In our world, humans are no longer humans. It is something that's accepted by all that want to be a part of this world. Your human laws and rules no longer exist. There are no exceptions. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

She nodded.

Thalia was soon standing with me. She looked to me for permission to speak. I nodded my approval. "When Dawn is punished, it will not be swift. It will be brutal and slow. It will be painful. It will be to the death. She will find no solace here … no relief ... only death. And she will wish for it … _beg_ for it. She will come to realize that she should have stayed where she belonged. She will see that she's not made for this world." She reached out and tugged at Sookie's ponytail. "Regardless of what you believe or what you think, none of you are. Not ever."

Sookie closed her eyes and gulped. She placed her hand to her chest as she did her best to calm her nerves. Fear and uncertainty filled us. I could only imagine what she was thinking. She finally looked at me. She didn't speak. She went to the desk and grabbed her notebook. She put it in her purse. She clasped her purse in her hands and stared at me and Thalia. To Thalia, she said, "If you can, will you send the pictures of the humans to Eric's house? That's where I'll be staying for a few days." To me, she said, "We need to go. I have a job to do." She walked past me with her back straight and her head held high. "I will meet you in the car."

Thalia and I watched Sookie as she left the oversized pantry. Once again, she filled the room with easy laughter. "Intriguing to say the least," she said. She looked at me with a gleam in her eyes. "I can see why you're so befuddled … oh, excuse me. You don't get befuddled. I can see why you're so taken with her. She gives you a run for your money. She's a strong one too. She hasn't fallen for your incendiary wit or your mind-blowing charms."

"She has not," I confirmed. "And I don't mind it. I actually like that she hasn't yielded to me. I like the challenge. She's going to keep me on my toes." Facing Thalia fully, I let her in on Sookie's poorly kept secret. "She's a telepath."

"Hmm," she said. "I've never met a telepath before tonight. She's a great asset for the mediocre kingdom of Louisiana." She then rolled her eyes and sighed. "I still haven't told him that I'm here. I hate meeting with him. He's so … mediocre. He believes himself to be this great lover and he is not. Poor thing doesn't realize that he's just as mediocre as his kingdom." She shook her head in disappointment. "Does your king know of her?"

"He does."

She chuckled. "He wants what you have?"

I nodded as I repeated, "He does."

Thalia rested her backside against the desk. "I get why you tried to scare her off. You want her to keep her innocence but it's too late for that. You know that. You knew that the night you met her. You knew that when she became yours, her innocence and her human life was forfeit. You should've turned her away when she walked through those doors. I could see it in her eyes, you know? She wants this life and nothing that you do is going to change that for her. There's no turning back. She's in." She folded her arms over her chest and sighed. "I get why you pretend that you don't have feelings for her. It scares you, doesn't it?"

I didn't answer her.

"I get that too," she said. "They're so fragile and they don't last long in our world. They're great company and I enjoy watching as they scurry along with their lives. Everything is always a rush." She briefly looked down at her feet. "This is not forever. This is going to last for as long as it lasts. You can't keep her, Eric, and you can't save her."

I growled at her.

She laughed as she lifted her hand. "What I mean is that you can't save her from this life. If this is what she wants, she's going to do it with or without you. Be glad that she found you and not some other vampire that would have destroyed her. What you see now … what draws you to her, would be long gone." She pointed to the doorway. "I agree with what you told her. She needs to know the ugly truth but so do you. That innocence that you adore so much … poof. It will be gone. It will no longer exist. After tonight, the girl that walked into your bar, she's dead." She stood up from the desk and patted my shoulder. She sat down in the desk chair and began typing. "Let my new friend know that I'll have the pictures delivered to her in the morning. They will be in full color. She's going to love it."

I began to walk away. I wanted to argue that Thalia was wrong and she doesn't know Sookie but I couldn't say either. She was right and I didn't want to face it. I glanced at Thalia over my shoulder and nodded. "I will let her know." I hesitated before walking away. "Good evening, Thalia."

"Eric," she called after me.

I had my back to her as I waited for her to speak.

"Don't blame yourself," she replied. "She wanted this."


	31. Chapter 31

**31**

 **It's My Job**

 **Hello, everyone. I hope that life has been treating you kindly because it has been kicking my ass from here to Tallahassee. As always, I want to thank y'all for reading, reviewing, alerting, and making this story and its author a favorite. Thank y'all for hanging around and waiting for each chapter. Y'all are freaking awesome! I hope that y'all enjoy this chapter and I will do my best to have the next chapter posted up a bit sooner than I did this one but my job keeps me busy and it's hard for me to work on the story when you're on call and short staffed. Bear with me and I will keep you entertained.**

 **Well, here we go …**

* * *

I stared straight ahead as Dawn continued to fight against me. I knew what was going to happen next if Eric doesn't get what he needs from her. I tried to put the torture off for as long as I could but she wouldn't let me. When I tried to read her, she would be defiant. Her thoughts would be combative and angry. She called me every derogatory name that she could think of. She even tried attacking me a couple of times. She fought against the restraints as she lunged at me. She bit and kicked at me. She was determined to cause me some type of bodily harm. She was just as determined to not tell me anything. I sighed as I stood from the chair that was in front of her. I looked at Dawn and shook my head. "You don't realize what you've done," I said to her. "They're going to kill you. You know that. You do know what self-preservation is, don't you? You're not going to leave this room alive. Why do you want to die here?"

Dawn inhaled deeply and closed her eyes as she refused to answer my questions. In her mind, I could see images of her childhood. I could see her in the backyard of her home with two little girls and dog. A small dog that she called Dennis. She was running around and playing. She looked like she was having the most fun. There were images of what I assume are her grandparents. There were images of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. There were Easter egg hunts. There were Sunday school classes and sermons. There were birthday parties and sleepovers. She finally opened her eyes and looked at me. "I know," she whispered. "Since I'm going to die anyway, why should I say anything? What good will it do me? Will it keep them from killing me?" She chuckled while shaking her head. "I don't think so. So, whatever you want to know, or whatever you think I know, you'll have to find it out for yourselves. In other words, fuck you all." That time, she outright laughed.

What could I say? She was right. No matter what she did or said, she was going to die. And then it hit me. I had this bright idea. This amazingly, fantastic idea. "Maybe Eric or Salome can glamor you. They can glamor away everything that you've done and send you away so that the other vampires can never find you. You'd be safe. You could give us what you know and you'll be safe." I looked at Eric with just an ounce of hope in my heart.

"You're so naïve," Dawn said. "They'd hunt me down. They would find me and I would die. You don't know anything about the vampires, do you? You are so new to the world of the vampire. There are no second chances here. That never happens. I'm going to die." She laughed at me. "You should've stayed where you were."

I ignored her and looked to Eric. I'd hoped that he'd think that my idea was a good one. He didn't.

He shook his head no. "I will not do that."

I didn't have to look at Salome.

Salome laughed. "Not a fucking chance."

I guess my idea wasn't so bright and amazingly, fantastic after all.

Soon my eyes were following the two Weres that snatched Dawn up from her chair and took her to the middle of the room. Another Were moved my interrogation chair to the other side of the room. I took that moment to look around the room. I was surrounded by supes. There were Weres and vampires in each of the seats that surrounded the circle. Well, except for one empty seat. That seat was mine. Instead of sitting, I remained standing as I watched while Dawn was stripped of her clothing. She was dragged to the center of the circle and her wrists were soon covered in these tight metal cuffs. She winced as they closed them around her thin arms. Her mind was still filled with the joys of her former life, her childhood. She looked at me one more time before closing her eyes. She didn't want me to see the fear in her eyes but it did no good. Her fear soon filled her mind. I pitied her. I wanted to help her but she wouldn't let me. There was nothing that I could do.

Eric looked at me and motioned for me to return to my seat. "Sookie," he said. "It's time."

Every supe in the room was watching me as I walked to my seat. They were wondering if I was going to faint once the torturing started or if I was going to run out of the room screaming. They all believed me to be a human with a weak constitution. I was going to show them all. They don't know Sookie Stackhouse. I'm far from being weak. I've had some weak moments in my life but I've always bounced back and I always will. I reached my seat and sat between Jake and Alcide. Once I was seated, Jake bumped my shoulder with his. "If you can't handle it," he said. "Look away. As I told you, this is the stuff that nightmares are made of. Just look away."

"I will," I whispered.

Alcide leaned in and said, "It won't be a bad thing if you do. You know that, right? It's okay if you don't watch."

"I know."

Eric looked at me. Though the bond was filled with support, he wanted to let me know what my option was. "You don't have to stay. You've done your job. It will not be held against you if you leave." He was concerned about me; more than I believe he should've been but it was nice to know that he cares. "This not required of you."

I wanted to scream at them and tell them that I can handle this. I'm not some poor southern belle that needs her hand held and back patted. I can do this. I am a Stackhouse … and a Brigant for goodness sakes. I have Adele Hale-Stackhouse's and Fintan Brigant's blood running through my veins. I'm going to be just fine. "I'm okay," I assured him. "I can do this. Don't worry about me. I'm not going anywhere. We're leaving together."

He nodded at me as he stood before Dawn.

"How sweet?" Salome replied. She stuck her finger in her mouth as if she was throwing up. "Can we get this show on the road? Our king is waiting for another update."

Eric glared at his superior. "Quiet, Salome."

"You got it." She crossed her legs and blew me a kiss.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Ridiculous," I whispered.

"That's Salome," Jake said.

"Enough," Eric bellowed.

The room was quiet once again.

Returning his gaze to our prisoner, Eric said, "Look at me."

Dawn did as she was told.

"You have been asked what your purpose was in all this but you have refused to answer," he said. "My woman has tried reading your mind but you seem to be able to keep her from knowing what you know. Why is that, Dawn? Why can't she read your mind?"

Her eyes were filled with hate as she looked at him. "Because I don't know why I'm here!" she yelled. She then began to laugh. "You're supposed to be so fucking smart, Eric, you figure it out. I don't like being chained to a chair or hanging from a fucking ceiling. I don't want this. If I could remember why I did what I did, I'd tell you." Licking her lips, she looked at him and said, "I'll tell you what. You figure out why I can't remember what my job for Maxwell was or why I'm here and then let me know what you've learned. You've tried glamoring me and you got nothing from me." Using her head to point at Salome, she said, "That dirty bitch even tried and she got nothing. Your telepath tried reading my fucking mind and nothing. I don't know." Tears fell from the corners of her eyes. "I don't know why I can't remember."

And just like that, I could see.

"She's lying," I said.

Eric looked back at me over his shoulder. "What do you see?"

I continued to watch Dawn while I talked. "I don't know how she's working against your glamor or keeping me out of her head but she knows why Pam was taken. She was there during the planning." I looked at Eric and said, "They've been planning this for years. I can see it. She's with Maxwell … and … and Malcom?" I wasn't quite sure of who's face I was seeing. "I can't see his face clearly but it looks like Malcom. I see the lady that gave me the directions that night we met Malcom and Liam. They're all talking. I can't see the faces of the others but she's with them. They're letting her help plan. It was her idea to work for Pam. She'd give them weekly updates. They're in a huge room with … with black walls … maybe, dark red … blood red? I can't tell where they are." There was sudden blackness in her mind. She'd blocked me out. I don't know how she did it but she blocked me out. I looked at Eric. "I can't see anything else. It's all black. She's shut me out again."

Dawn glared at me. I was no longer blocked out of her mind. She wanted me to see what she wants to do to me. She wanted me to know how much she hates me. She smiled at me as she showed me an image that terrified me to my core. Eric had a stake shoved into his chest and he'd exploded all over me. My screams were all that I could hear. "Do you like what you see?" she asked as she smiled. "Stay out of my fucking head!"

I returned the smile. Though my heart was pounding in my chest, I never let her know it. "It's never going to happen. I promise you that."

Eric was watching me. His curiosity flowed through me. I looked at him and shook my head no. "Not here."

He nodded slightly as he studied me.

Salome took her phone out of her purse and began talking. I knew that she was speaking with Bill about me. She winked at me as she talked. Have I mentioned how much I _really_ hate her? If I haven't, I do. I _really_ hate her. I glared at her as I turned away. I turned around just as Jannalynne rolled a gurney to the center of the room. She's one of the Colonel's female Weres and she's vicious and cruel. From what I've heard tonight from Jake, she's worse than the male Weres. And I believe it. She looks creepy. She looked even creepier when she removed the white sheet that was covering the tools that were going to be used to torture Dawn. The smile on her face was gleeful. She looked like a fat kid that has been told that she can eat her entire birthday cake by herself … with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

"I can help you," she said to Eric as she threw the sheet to floor. "I don't have anything else to do." She shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't had any demerits this month and I haven't attacked any shifters or vampires. I haven't killed anyone in your area. Not one person or supe. I have been on my best behavior. I told you that I'd behave." She batted her eyes at him and grinned. "Let me have a little fun, Eric. I don't ask for much. Let me have some of this." She pointed at Dawn as she picked up a shiny, silver object that I'd never seen before tonight. The light that bounced off the blade made Jannalynne look even deadlier as she stroked it.

"This bitch is nuts," Alcide said.

Jake laughed. "Always has been. It's a trait that seems to travel through their bloodline. The whole lot of 'em is fucking nuts if you ask me. Have you met her mother?" He shuddered at the thought.

"If she's crazy, why would you talk about her? She can hear you both. She could kill you," I whispered.

Jake fanned her off. "She's a fucking nut. She's not stupid."

Jannalynne looked at me and winked. "I agree with Sookie."

"See?" Alcide stated as he shook his head. "Told ya."

"So, can I do it?" she begged Eric.

Eric lifted Dawn's head just a bit so that he could see her eyes "Are you going to talk?" he asked.

"Fuck you," she growled.

"Do what you want," he said to the Were. "Make it last."

"I'd planned on it." Jannalynne seemed surprised that Eric or anyone else would think that it was going to be quick.

Dawn's head was bowed as she wished that it would be a quick death but she knew otherwise. She knew that she was going to suffer. She'd been warned that if she was caught, she was going to pay with her life. She thought that she could handle it. She was trying to be brave but she was terrified. She'd hoped that Maxwell would come and save her. She'd believed that he loved her. She'd believed that she wouldn't be hanging from the ceiling butt ass naked waiting to die. She'd hoped that he'd send some humans to break her out before the vamps had risen for the night. She wanted each Were in the building to die. She wanted every vampire in the room to meet the sun or meet the end of a very sharp stake. She didn't care which. She just wanted them dead … especially Eric. _What he's done to Maxwell is unforgiveable. He needs to pay with his life_.

Jannalynne was about to make her first slice and I stopped her. "Wait!" I yelled. "Wait." I jumped up from my seat and went to stand in front of Dawn. "What has Eric done to Maxwell? Why should he have to pay with his life for what he's done to Maxwell?"

She lifted her head just a bit; her hair hanging menacingly around her face. "Fuck you too."

"Is he really worth your life?" I asked her. "You've been waiting all day long for him to send someone to save you or for him to save you." I shook my head no. "He's not coming. He doesn't care about you. He's never cared about you. If he did, you wouldn't be here."

She looked at me through hooded eyes. "And you think that he cares about you?" She used her head to point at Eric. "He doesn't give a shit about you. You're something that he can fuck and use until he's done with you. He's going to drink your blood and then get rid of you when he no longer needs you. That's what they do. That's what they all do." She then laughed. "Maybe not. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it'll be different for you. You have that mind reading thing going on, Mind Reader. He might keep you. He can use you for more than blood and sex. You have the potential to make him a lot of money." She looked at Eric and smiled. "Isn't that right, Eric?"

He said nothing to her.

I answered for him. "Not Eric," I said. I reached out and pushed Dawn's hair over her shoulders. I wanted to see her face. "He's not like that with me. He may have been that way with the others but not with me." I stroked her cheek and I lifted her chin so that I could look in her eyes. "You were a fool. You allowed Maxwell to use you. You let this happen. You sold yourself to the lowest bidder and this is what you got. This isn't Eric's fault or mine or anyone else's. It's not even Maxwell's fault. You did this. If you'd believed that you deserved better, you would have gotten better."

She pulled herself away from me but didn't look away. "You don't know but you'll see soon enough. The allure of having something so powerful, so intriguing to want you is an ego booster. It makes you feel as if you're on top of the world. It was a grand feeling to be with Maxwell. It didn't last long but it was good while it lasted. Soon, you will feel the same way. And you will be in my position." She then cocked an eyebrow. "Maybe not in this position … hanging from a ceiling with your tits and ass out but you'll be here. You'll see. Something better will come along and it'll be bye-bye Mind Reader."

I stared into her eyes just a bit longer. "You know that's not true and it hurts you to know that I'll never be in your position. Your words are meant to make you feel better. Did they work?"

She didn't answer me.

I was sad for her. And I let her know it. "I don't want you to die. I wish that you could live to be an old woman. I would wish that you would have the chance to sit on your front porch with your husband … watching your grandchildren as they run through the yard under the sprinklers during the summer. Just like you used to do when you were a little girl. You and your sisters had a great life. It didn't have to end."

She dropped her head and there it was. She's not like Malcom. She's not as heartless as she'd like me to believe. She began to cry. Images of her grandparents played in her mind. Their smiles. Their laughter. Their hugs and kisses. She misses her grandparents. She lost everything when she lost them.

"They didn't want to die," I assured her. "I can tell by the way you remember them. They would've never left you and your sisters alone like that … not on purpose. You and your sisters were the best parts of their lives. I can tell because of your thoughts. Your childhood was a great one. It reminds me of what I have with my grandparents."

She shook her head no. "I'm not talking," she commented. "You can say what you want and I'm not talking. I gave my word and I stand by it. He may not be here to save me but I will not betray him. I love him. I did what I did because I wanted to." She sighed. "We all have jobs to do and my job was to get into Pam's inner circle and that's what I did. I will take the punishment that awaits me."

She was going break. It was inevitable. I could see it but I said nothing about it. I sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that. If he was deserving of your loyalty, I'd understand your defiance and he's not but there's nothing else that I can do or say to help you." It was a question that I couldn't bear to ask because I already knew the answer.

"Go sit down, Sookie," Eric said. "There's nothing else for you to do."

And from that moment on, I tried keeping my eyes trained on my legs. Occasionally, I'd glance up; quickly regretting my decision. Knowing that Eric was with me is what kept me in my seat. I could feel Eric's hands as they rested on my shoulders. He was doing his best to send calm through the bond but it wasn't working. Dawn's screams were so loud. They were _so_ loud. I tried being strong. I tried not to let what was happening to Dawn get to me but I couldn't help it. I didn't think that there'd be so much blood. It pooled around the tips of toes. It even dripped from the ends of her hair. I could swear that every part of her was bleeding. Either it was all in my mind or I could actually _hear_ it but I swear, I could hear the tiniest droplets of blood hitting the floor. When I'd close my eyes to escape what was in front of me, the image of her helplessly hanging from the ceiling filled my mind.

After questioning her, I wanted to leave the room but I didn't. I stayed. I stayed to prove to Eric that I could do it. I have to be here. It's my job. I wanted him to know that I'm capable of doing this job. I am made for this world, remember? The more she screamed, the more I began to question if it was true. With my head still bowed, I glanced around the room at the Weres and vampires that surrounded me. They relished in Dawn's pain. They watched. They howled. They were rejoicing because an enemy was about to fall. But not me. I took a quick look in Dawn's direction and wished that I hadn't. I couldn't feel the same joy that they were feeling. I couldn't cheer Jannalynne on as she punished Dawn. A tear rolled down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away.

Jake noticed but said nothing.

I get it now.

I get why Eric and Thalia tried to talk me out of coming. I get why they were concerned about how this was going to affect me. "I get it now," I whispered.

Eric leaned down in my ear and whispered, "I'm sorry."

I reached up and placed my hand on his.

He gave my shoulder and final squeeze before walking to stand next to Jannalynne. "Enough," he said.

I squeezed my eyes closed and counted as far up as I could before looking at what the female Were had done to Dawn. Jannalynne's beautiful face was sprayed with blood. Her clothes were no longer clean. The oversized instrument that was used on Dawn was covered with blood and flesh. I could tell by the look on her face that she'd enjoyed what she'd done. She began to lick blood from her lips as she put the bloodied instrument back onto the gurney.

"Look at me," Eric said to Dawn. "Who is your master?"

She couldn't even raise her head.

Jannalynne stood beside the girl and jerked her head back. "Who is your master?" she asked as she rubbed her cheek against Dawn's.

I winced when I saw her face. Her face was still intact. It was the sadness and pain in her eyes that broke my heart.

Dawn's eyes were barely opened. She struggled to keep them open. Her body had gone limp. She did the best she could to muster up the energy to make a smile. She looked at Eric and said, "You (swallow) figure (swallow) it (swallow) out (swallow), Asshole." She tried laughing but it came out as a whimpering groan.

Salome clapped her hands and laughed. "This is just delicious! She's dying and she's still defiant. I love it! I wish that I'd gotten to her before Maxwell ruined her." She looked at me and nodded. "She would be my greatest accomplishment."

Idiot.

"Again," Eric ordered Jannalynne.

Jannalynne's body shivered with anticipation. "Gladly."

And then Dawn looked at me.

"Stop!" I said. "Please, stop."

Everything and everyone in the room went quiet.

I looked at Jake and asked, "Will you get me a wet rag? A cold one?"

He stood up and did as I asked.

I stood from my seat and walked to where Dawn was hanging. I removed clumps of her hair from her shoulders. I tried to ignore the gaping wounds on her arms. I tried to ignore the smell of her burning flesh. The flesh that Jannalynne tried to burn close so that the girl wouldn't bleed to death. I reached above her to undo the cuffs that were wrapped around her wrists but I'm too short. I couldn't reach them. I turned to Jannalynne and asked, "Will you get her down? I can't reach it."

Jannalynne crossed her bloody arms over her even bloodier shirt. "I will not. This isn't over. We haven't gotten what we want from her. This isn't supposed to be over yet. Eric told me that I could take my time and I'm not done."

I looked at Eric. "Please."

He silently did as I asked.

Salome was mad. "You can't take her down, Eric. Why are you letting your pet tell you what to do? I may like the human but Dawn is to be punished for what she has done. She helped kidnap your child." She realized that Eric was going to ignore her so turned her anger on me. "What the fuck are you doing, Sookie? How dare you stop these festivities. You're supposed to just read her mind. You have no control here. You are nothing more than an employee. Who do you …?"

Eric may not have said anything but I was. I don't owe her an ounce of respect. "Shut the hell up, Salome," I said as I wrapped my arms around Dawn's waist. "Who invited you anyway?"

Everything and everyone in the room was quiet. Everyone but Alcide. He was snickering.

"I'm the second to the king, you little bitch," she said. "I don't need Eric's or your permission to be here. So, there." She gave me the finger as she crossed her legs and leaned back in her seat.

I rolled my eyes. "What is this … kindergarten?"

Salome's eyes widen. "What did you just call me? Did you call me a name in German? Is that what you did?" She looked at the Weres that surrounded her and asked, "What is a kindergarten?"

The Weres looked at each other and laughed.

She glared at me. "You wait until I find out what a kindergarten is. I will make you fucking pay for embarrassing me. I'm a regent. I deserve your respect and you should honor me. Kindergarten." She continued to mumble about a word she clearly didn't know the meaning to.

I didn't bother to answer her.

Alcide was still giggling.

Glaring at her, Eric said, "Sit down, Salome or leave."

She looked as if she wanted to say more but she did as Eric ordered. She pointed from her eyes to mine and said, "I see you, Sookie Stackhouse."

There was nothing else that I could do but ignore Salome. I had a job to do. With Eric's help, Dawn and I were soon sitting on the floor. Well, I was sitting as her head rested on my lap. Jake was standing over me with the cold rag. "Here ya go, Sookie."

I looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks, Jake."

"Welcome," he said as he handed it to me. He returned to his seat but wouldn't take his eyes off me.

I began to clean the blood from Dawn's hairline. The blood was dripping over her face. She looked completely different than she did earlier this evening. Her brown eyes didn't hold an ounce of defiance. They were almost dead and held no light. I began to rock her as I talked. "You don't have to talk. You don't even have to send me any thoughts. You can just lie here and rest. I know that you're tired. You've been through a lot tonight." I looked up at Eric as I said, "You can't keep me out of your mind anymore."

Eric was standing impossibly taller as he took in the meaning of my words.

I shifted our bodies so that Dawn was resting comfortably in my lap. "Why did Maxwell have to kill the Weres?" I knew why. She needed to say it.

"They were there."

Colonel Flood howled loudly for his fallen pack members.

I began to wipe the blood from Dawn's forehead. "He's a king, isn't he?"

She slowly nodded her head.

Eric's fangs snapped into place. Salome was back on her phone. She was whispering as she watched me.

"Is it William Compton?" I asked.

"No, it is not!" Salome proclaimed. She held her phone down at her side. "He has already told you that he is not involved. He may be the occasional asshole with a fucked-up attitude but he would not betray his subjects. He has offered to fucking help find Eric's irritating progeny and you dare to accuse him? Bill's an asshole but he's no kidnapper." She returned to her call and said, "Sorry, Bill."

"I wasn't speaking to you," I replied. "Was it William Compton?"

Dawn shook her head no.

Shoot. Doesn't mean a thing. She could just not know that he's involved. He's still on my suspect list.

"Have you shared blood with him?"

Dawn nodded her head yes.

"You've shared blood with the king?"

"Yes."

"He can feel what's happening to you," I whispered. The impact of my words hit me hard. If this ever happens to me, even now, Eric will feel every ounce of pain. "He knows what's happening to you."

She looked me in my eyes. "Yes."

"Has he been in Louisiana?"

"No."

"Someone is helping him?"

"Spies," she whispered.

"Are there any spies here with us tonight?"

She swallowed and shook her head no.

"Can you show them to me?"

Flashes of faces played through her mind. They were going by so quickly that it was hard for me to keep up. I wanted to ask her to show me again but she was getting weaker. She wasn't going to last too much longer. "Maxwell," I began. "Why does he hate Eric?"

"Paris," she whispered.

"Paris?" I asked as I glanced up at Eric. "What happened in Paris?"

She wouldn't say … she _couldn't_ say. She just looked at me. "You don't have to talk. I understand."

She sighed.

"Did something happen in Paris between Eric and Maxwell?"

She nodded. _Pain_.

I wasn't sure what she meant by that. "Your pain or Maxwell's pain?"

She winced.

I held her closer to me. "Do you remember the day the cop came to Pam's house and you were there with the pale man?"

She nodded.

"Who is he?"

 _Barry Horowitz_. _He's like you_.

"A telepath?" I asked. "Is that how he's like me?" I looked up at Eric and my eyes were filled with wonder. Another telepath. "Are you saying that he's a mind reader?"

She nodded.

"Did he teach you how to block me out?"

 _Yeah_.

"Did a vampire tell them about me … Long Shadow?"

 _Not sure_.

"Barry, he works for a vampire?"

Again, she nodded.

"Is his master the vampire king?"

She closed her eyes and her mind went black.

I hated to keep pressing her but I needed to know. It's my job. "You can't keep protecting him," I said. "You don't have to protect him anymore. You're dying, Dawn, and he knows it. He can feel it. He has felt everything that you've been through tonight and he's done nothing to save you. He doesn't care. Tell me his name. He doesn't deserve your loyalty."

Her eyes were pleading with me. _I don't want to die_.

"I know," I whispered. "I don't want you to."

She reached up for my hand. _I'm sorry_.

I quickly wiped at my eyes before the tears could fall. "It's okay. I understand. You did what you had to do." I smiled down at her as I held her hand in mine.

 _Bon Temps_.

I nodded. "Quinn?"

She nodded.

"My mom? She told them about me."

She nodded again. _She's helping them_.

Again, I nodded. "I know. Do you know why she's helping them … what she's getting out of this?"

She shook her head no. _Bon Temps_ , she repeated.

I glanced up at Eric. "What do you mean? Is something else going on in Bon Temps?"

She winced.

I gently squeezed her hand. I needed an answer to my question but she was done. She couldn't do anymore. "We don't have to talk anymore. Thank you for what you've given us. I'm sorry that you had to suffer."

 _I'm sorry_. She placed her hand to her chest and inhaled deeply. She began to cry. _It's okay. It's your job_. Her hand fell to her side as she exhaled one last time.


	32. Chapter 32

**32**

 **The Story of Pam**

 **I apologize for the late posting but RL is a bitch sometimes and it's kicking my behind. I have at least three chapters done but I have to edit them and I'm doing them as I can. I hope to be able to have another chapter posted by the end of the week but only if I can get my notes done in time. As always, I hope that y'all enjoy. I want to thank each of you for reading, making this story a favorite, alerting, and reviewing. Your support and kind words keep me on top of the world.**

 **The characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine.**

* * *

I sat on Eric's front porch as he and Salome talked on the phone with the great and magnificent king of Louisiana. I was supposed to be a party to the conversation but I wasn't having any of it. I'd have enough of Bill Compton and Salome Whomever to last me a lifetime. I couldn't bear to have to listen to them for another hour. I don't need to hear Bill talk about how he would never do anything to jeopardize my relationship with Eric or how I'd be so much happier with him because Eric can't keep me safe. I don't want to hear Salome's irritating laugh or voice. I'm done with those two. I'd had enough for one night. I had too many other things on my mind and they weren't even close to being a possible thought. I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd done tonight. I am very proud of myself. I'm a lot stronger than I believed myself to be. I thought that I'd be running through the streets of Louisiana screaming my head off while Dawn was being tortured but I didn't do that. I stayed and did my job. And that's what's bothering me.

I don't mean that it bothered me that I stayed. It bothers me that I wasn't as upset as I feel that I should've been. I should've felt a bit more sorrow for Dawn. I have this part of me that makes me feel that I should've tried harder to get Eric to let her go but then my other side says that she put herself in that predicament. It's saying that she had a choice and she decided to be a part of a devious plan to kidnap someone. I had a job to do and I did it. And I'm not sure if that makes me a bad person or not. I rested my elbows on my knees and covered my eyes with my hands. That's when Eric and Salome came outside. I glanced over my shoulder and there she was, Salome, looking down at me smiling. I rolled my eyes and groaned.

"You were fantastic tonight, Sookie." I could hear the joy and happiness in her voice. "Bill was seriously impressed with what I reported back to him. He's anxious to see you in action."

I twirled my point finger in the air and said, "Whoop tee taw."

She filled the silence of the night with her irritating guffaw. "You're a fucking hoot. Oh, and I'm not mad anymore about the kindergarten comment. I was made aware of what it is."

I leaned back in my seat and said, "Goodnight, Salome."

She looked up in the sky and nodded. "It is getting late. I must head back but if you ever need anyone to talk to or want someone to go shopping with, please give me a call." She handed me a business card.

I took it from her and looked at it. I shook my head. "No, thanks."

She laughed as I handed the card back to her. She put it into her pocket as she talked to me. "You are a delight, Ms. Stackhouse. A pure, head splitting, anger inducing delight." She rolled her eyes at me as the laugh ended abruptly. She looked at Eric and nodded. "We'll find her. We'll do whatever we can to get her back. You'll have her with you sooner than you know it. You have my word." She placed her hand on his arm before walking away. Seconds later, she was in her overly priced car and speeding away.

And I believed her. I believed that Salome wanted to help Eric find Pam just as much as I do. I don't like that I believe her but I do.

Eric looked down at me and asked, "May I join you?"

"Sure," I said.

He took the seat next to mine. He leaned back and crossed his legs at the ankles and sighed. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the chair. "You were great tonight. I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks." That made me feel a lot better because on the way home, I could feel uncertainty from Eric. He would glance at me from time to time and not say anything. He wanted to but he didn't. I didn't understand why so I asked him. "Why?'

He glanced at me briefly and said, "Because you handled yourself perfectly. You didn't let what happened scare you, deter you. I'm glad that you decided to come with me to the meeting. I'm especially glad that I didn't stop you."

I chuckled. "I appreciate that but that's not what I mean. Why didn't you tell me any of this on the way home? You seemed to be … I don't know, afraid to speak to me. I thought that maybe I'd done something wrong."

He sat tall and turned to face me. "Thalia and I had a conversation tonight before you and I left for the meeting. She believed that I should've turned you away when I'd first laid eyes on you. Our world would destroy you. She said that you'd lose who you are if you saw what happens in our world. I feared that she was right. I would have blamed myself if you'd left the meeting scarred … emotionally and mentally." He began to shake his head. "I don't want that for you. I want you to stay as you are."

And just like that, my thoughts from earlier had faded from memory. I took his hand in mine and said, "I'm me, Eric, and you don't have to worry about me. I'm always going to be the girl that walked into your bar regardless of what I have to do for my job." I chuckled. "About five minutes ago, I felt the same as you and Thalia. I was worried that what happened … what I saw, what I did; would change me. I felt that those things should've made me feel some type of way … sad, angry, and petrified. I expected to scream and take off running to the nearest police station." I shrugged my shoulders and said, "But they didn't and I didn't. I did what I had to do because it's what I _wanted_ to do. I have come to accept that I'm not like everyone else. I'm Sookie Stackhouse and I'm strong and able. I can do this. It's in me. I'm not quite human and I'm not quite supe and that's okay. If I'm me, everything will be fine. And _nothing_ is going to change that … and that's okay."

"You're amazing," he whispered.

And I blushed. I looked down at my lap and smiled. "No one has ever said the things that to me that you say to me." I looked up at him and asked, "Do you say these things to other women?"

He laughed as he gripped my hand in his. He looked out into the night and said, "I've said these things to one person in my life and that person, that vampire, is Pam. I am drawn to strong and extraordinary women. They are my weakness. Women like you keep me on my toes. Sadly, I don't meet them too often. I am privileged to have met you, Sookie."

"Same here," I said. I leaned over and kissed his check before staring out into the night. "Now," I said as I clapped my hands. "You know that I know that there's a story there and you're going to have to tell me all about it. How did you meet Pam? What was it about her that made you want to have her with you?"

A look of relief appeared on his face. I know. That's strange, right? Why would he have a look of relief on his face when I asked him what made him turn her? Was he tired of being alone? Did he need the companionship? It would make sense. A vampire's life must be a lonely one. To live for so many years, to live so many lifetimes and always end up alone. It must be a sad existence. I don't know if I would like being left behind by the ones that I've loved all my life. I don't know if I could handle the idea of it. I wonder if he's ever thought of those he's lost along the way. And just like that, his voice interrupted my thoughts.

"There are many stories out there about my life but no one really knows the truth." He looked at me and smiled. "I listen to the stories and I never confirm or deny if any of them are the truth. I just go along with them but there's one story in particular that I'll never forget."

"Really?"

Just as I was getting comfortable and ready to hear Eric's story, he stood up. He looked out into the night and said, "Let us continue our talk in the house."

I stood instantly. I thought that maybe Pam was right. Maybe my telepathy could go on the blink. I didn't hear anything voices or sense any voids. I looked up at him and said, "I don't hear anything."

"Come," was all he said.

And so, I followed him into the living room. I sat on the floor as he sat on the couch. "You don't want others to know," I said.

"I do not," he admitted. "There are only five beings in this world that know of what I'm about to tell you. Only one has betrayed me and that is why I wanted to kill him because the fourth and fifth persons aren't supposed to know any of what I'm about to say. They don't know all the story but they know some of the story when they shouldn't but now, I understand why he's done what he's done." He then waited.

And I started thinking about what he'd said. It sounded like a riddle and I'm not the best at riddles. I've never liked them … and word problems. I've never liked those either. Just a ridiculous waste of time but not this one. I figured it out. "Niall, grandpa, and me."

"You are correct."

"And because you understand his reason for telling the story, you don't want to kill him."

"For now," he said. "Niall could possibly do something that will anger me in the future. He usually does. He's very unpredictable and at times, he can be untrustworthy."

I thought that I was intrigued when grandpa told me his story but what I'm feeling now, doesn't even compare to what I felt then. I am freaking ecstatic. "I can't wait to hear what you have to say."

Unlike grandpa, Eric didn't beat around the bush. He dove right in. "Fintan was correct when he told you that Appius was a cruel and evil man. There was nothing good about him." He shook his head in what could only be considered disappointment or maybe even disgust. "I always wondered why Mother married him. I would ask her time and time again but she would never give me a satisfactory answer. She gave me several answers but they always differed than the previous one. She would say that it was fated or she had no choice. She would say that it was arranged or he tricked her. I never truly knew the truth."

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "I also never knew why Appius hated me." He looked at me and chuckled. "There were farmhands that he treated better than he treated me and he treated them like shit. I suffered through beatings daily. In the winter, if I'd give the townspeople food and clothes, he'd hang me in the barn with no food or clothes. He would make his soldiers stand in front of the barn door to make sure that my mother couldn't come in and comfort me. Some of the soldiers, the good ones, would sneak food and water to me but only enough to keep me alive. Appius couldn't know that I was being taken care of or they would've faced an even worse punishment than I."

Keeping my voice steady, I asked, "Why would he do that to you?"

"He believed me to be weak because I cared for the people of our village. He wanted me to be just like him." Eric shook his head no. "There was no way that I was ever going to be like him. I would have killed myself before I'd let that happen."

"I'm glad that didn't happen," I said. To have never had the chance to meet him, scares me.

He smiled. "Mother said that if I'd been born a girl, Appius would have killed me just as soon as she'd had me. She knew that because he'd done it in the past."

I gasped. "What?"

"Before I was born, I had three sisters and Appius killed them." He sighed just as the words left his mouth. "Mother said that she never got to hear them cry. It destroyed her. She never wanted to get pregnant again for fear of what Appius would do. She would try to put off his advances but no one says no to Appius. No one," he said. His eyes told me everything.

And that scared me. It made think that he'd done unspeakable things to Eric but I didn't want to know. I'm not sure if I can handle what he would say. Since I've been there, I know how hard it is to relive those moments and to be too weak or too small to fight off the monster. I don't want him to have to repeat what happened to him. That would be cruel. I don't want him to have to mentally go through that again. Those bad memories, the dark ones, they need to stay hidden. They should never see the light of day. So, I remained calm and listened to everything that he said.

"She was terrified of ever getting pregnant again but she became pregnant with me. And luckily, I was the son that Appius wanted … or so he thought. I wasn't cruel enough to be like him. I wasn't strong enough to rule his kingdom. My heart was too soft. I was weak and it shamed him." Anger glowed beautifully in his eyes. "I hate Appius. He has been dead for many, many years and I hate him just as much today as I did then. I wanted him dead. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to bash his fucking skull in but I couldn't do it and it wasn't because I was afraid. I was never afraid. I had several opportunities to do it. My mother stopped me. She believed that it would have changed me. Mother told me that it wasn't up to me to kill him. She said that he died soon enough." He snorted. "Soon enough didn't come soon enough."

Eric got up from the couch and sat with me on the floor. We were facing each other and no one said anything for a long minute. I was hoping that he wasn't going to stop there. I needed to hear the rest of it. I wanted to hear the rest of it but he was just sitting there. Staring at me. Saying nothing. I couldn't take it anymore. "So, what happened?"

"He died," he said. "He was killed trying to take over another village. The king and his queen of that village had to do nothing. Their villagers killed Appius from trying to take over their home. I wish that I'd been a part of it." A look of longing appeared on his face.

I was a bit confused of what he was trying to tell me. I needed to know where this story was going. "I don't understand what you're getting at, Eric. I'm honored that you're sharing this with me but where are we going? What does this have to do with how you met Pam?"

"It has everything to do with how I met Pam," he emphasized. "Fintan told you that my mother sent me out to sea to keep me away from Appius. That was partly true but there was more to it. She'd sent me on a mission." He scooted closer to me. "My mother told her brothers to contact the men in the village that Appius was going to pillage and warn them ahead of time. Needless to say, they were prepared when Appius and his soldiers arrived. The king never had to leave his home."

My eyes were as wide as my mouth. "Your mom had him killed?"

"She did."

"She was a bad a," I said.

Eric laughed. "Yes, she was."

I needed to know why. "Why did she do that? Did she think that she'd get his land and you'd be able to rule it?"

He shook his head no. "She knew that we weren't going to get anything from Appius. He never kept it a secret that he was going to leave us with nothing. He made sure to always let us know where we stood with him. So, she knew very well what she was doing. She didn't expect to have our village pillaged in turn by a different group."

"Oh," I said. "So, the group that came in to take over your home was from a different town?"

"Yes. A town that was poor," he said. "They needed what we had. Appius would never help them when they'd ask for it. He would turn them away every time. I used to tell him that he should consider it because we could need allies one day. I was punished for even making such a suggestion."

"I'm glad he's dead."

"Me too." He leaned his back against the couch as he continued.

"Why did she kill him?"

"He took something from us," he said. "Something valuable. Something priceless. Something that my mom and I would have died to protect but he was the coward. He did his awful deed in the middle of the night."

I frowned because I had no idea what was going on and then it hit me. I could see her face as I looked at his. "Pam," I whispered. "She's your sister."

"She's my sister. She was thirteen when he took her," Eric shared. "It surprised my mother when Appius let her keep Pam but she was a rare type of child. I say that because Appius held her when she was born. He nurtured her. He never abused her in any type of way. He doted on Pam. He gave her whatever she wanted. With Pam, our home was finally a home. My mother and I were still the thorns in his side but Pam, she hung the moon and the stars. We thought that she'd changed him. We were wrong."

I scooted over to sit next to him. Looking at the side of his face, I asked, "What did he do to her?"

"He sold her to the highest bidder," he said. He looked at me and nodded. "He sold my sister to a man that lived four hundred miles across the seas. When my mother learned of what Appius had done, that's when she sent me and my uncles to find her. As a human, I never found her. We looked in the town in which the man lived but once he'd gotten her, he left. For a few years, he couldn't be found. It took me six years to find her."

"What about the man? What happened to the man?"

"I killed him." There was no room for argument. "I killed him and I took my sister."

I didn't know what to say or to think. I wanted to hold Eric and protect him from his past. I wished that I could take his pain away and make things better for him but he didn't need me to do that. He is capable. If anything, his past has made him what he is and I admire that. There was no reason to pity him. He doesn't let his past keep him down. He's used it to build himself up and I admire that. "I am in awe of you."

He frowned and asked, "Why?"

"Because you're you."

He looked at me and smiled.

"Do you keep your relationship with Pam a secret because she will be used against you?"

"I do," he said. "Pam and I have never been together but I've never told anyone any different. I let them believe what they want to believe. And if they believe that she's nothing more than my child and lover, she's safe but if they learn that she's my sister, she's a target."

My mind began running. "Someone knows."

"Someone knows," he repeated.

It then dawned on me. "She's almost as old you are."

"Yes."

"Someone knew how old she was."

"Yes."

"Maxwell?"

"Maybe," he agreed. "Or maybe whomever he's working for knows more about me than I know about them."

"Yeah," I nodded. "If she hadn't put the sword on the floor, she could've fought him."

"Yes."

"How did she come to be a vampire? What did you say to her when you found her? Was she happy to see you?" I yawned before I could catch myself.

Eric stood up from the floor before helping me to my feet. "You need to go to bed. You've had a full day. We talk some more later."

I shook my head no. "I'm not sleepy." My body betrayed me once again. I yawned.

He looked at the clock on the wall behind me. "It's 1:00 am, Sookie. We will finish the discussion tomorrow. Follow me."

I pouted as I did what I was told. I followed him up the stairs. He showed me where the bathroom is and the linen closets. "There are towels and body wash in the shower. Pam put a shower caddy in there a couple of months ago. You'll find everything that you need in there. Your room is next to the bathroom. Tomorrow, we will sit down to discuss how you'd like the room to look." He walked to the room and opened the door.

It was plain but it was fine. I didn't need anything else. "You don't have to do anything extra to this room. It's fine the way it is." I pointed at the t-shirt that was on the bed. "Thanks for the nightshirt. I'll go to my apartment tomorrow to get some of my clothes."

"But not alone."

"Not alone," I promised.

Eric and I stood at the bedroom door and stared at each other for a long minute. "I guess I'll shower."

"I'll go and prepare for tomorrow," he said. He kissed my cheek and said, "Goodnight, Sookie."

"Goodnight, Eric."

I watched him as he walked away.

* * *

 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

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Once I was alone, I did what I said I'd do. I showered and I wrote in my notebook. I thought about what we'd done tonight. I thought about what we'd learned from Dawn. I especially thought about the family secret that Eric shared with me. My mind was on one hundred and I couldn't sleep. I don't want to sleep. I lied back on the pillow and looked up at the ceiling. Nothing was there but the ceiling fan twirling and twirling. I stared at it for so long, that I became dizzy. I looked at my cell phone and it's 3:34 am. I'm usually sleeping by this time but not Eric. I got up from the bed and tiptoed out of the room and into the hallway. It was pitch black. I couldn't see anything. I went back into my room and grabbed my phone. I used the flashlight to get around the house. I checked the rooms upstairs and no Eric. I checked the kitchen and the living room. There was no Eric. I knocked on his office door. Still, no Eric. "He must've gone out," I whispered.

I went back to the living room and turned on the TV. A marathon of The Walking Dead was on. "Season one," I mumbled. "At least I get to see Shane." The fifth episode was just starting when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Eric standing behind me and I screamed anyway. And I couldn't stop. He's scared the living daylights out of me.

He just stood there … staring at me. And he was smiling. He found my terror funny. I finally stopped when I had to catch my breath. "Don't do that!"

Still smiling, he sat next to me. "What are you watching?"

"The Walking Dead," I shared.

He looked surprised. "It's a show about vampires?"

I shook my head no. "It's a show about walkers … zombies. The world has basically come to an end and walkers, zombies have taken over. You must be careful because if they bite you, you turn into one. In the later seasons, you don't have to fear the walkers. You fear the people and what they've become. It's a great show. It makes you think about the type of person you'd become if that ever happened. Are you willing to do anything to survive and to save those that you love? Do you want to live or do you just want to survive?" I pointed at the TV. "It's a great show."

"It sounds quite interesting." He looked at me and asked, "Why are you still awake?"

"I couldn't sleep," I shared. "You could finish telling me about how Pam became a vampire if you want to."

Smiling, he shook his head no. "Later."

"Fine," I said. I then frowned at him. "And, where were you? I've checked every room and you weren't in any of them."

He said, "I don't sleep up here. I have a hidden room that I sleep in."

"Oh," I said. "What if need you and I can't find you? What do I do then?"

"No one can get in here," he said. "I have taken every precaution to make sure that my home is safe and secure. You will be safe."

"Oh," I repeated. I turned back to the TV.

He smiled. "Are you upset?"

I shook my head no.

"You are. Why?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Why?"

"I just want to know where you are, that's all."

"Why?"

"What if I have a nightmare or something and I don't want to sleep alone?"

"You want to sleep with me?" He almost looked surprised.

I nodded. "I do. I don't want to sleep up here by myself. I'm not scared. I just don't want to sleep alone. Not tonight."

He looked as if he wasn't too keen on the idea of me sleeping with him. "I sleep in a tomb, Sookie. The room is pitch black when I go to sleep. The lights only come on when it's time for me to rise. For you, it will be like sleeping in a tomb. I don't want that for you."

"It's okay," I assured him. "I'm not going to be afraid because we'll be in there together. And I've been up all day. Who's to say that I won't sleep all day? Please, let me sleep with you." I glanced at my phone. "After this episode, we'll go to bed, okay?"

"But, I didn't …"

I interrupted him. "Right after this episode. I promise. Thanks, Eric. I really appreciate it."

And that's what we did. We watched the rest of episode five of The Walking Dead and headed to bed. And Eric showed me why I couldn't find where he was. His room is hidden from view. He led me to a doorway behind the refrigerator and down a long set of stairs. His room was the size of the entire house. The bed was like two king sized beds. There were couches and a TV. A bathroom was off to the other side of the room. There were no lamps anywhere but there were lights in the ceiling. "This a huge room."

"I trust you." He obviously realizes the room is huge. It's his house.

"As you should," I said. "I'd never betray you."

He nodded and walked ahead of me. He went to the couch and began removing the cushions and throw pillows. "You can sleep on the bed and I will sleep here. I bought this couch for when Pam sleeps over. I'd assumed that she'd sleep here and I'd get to keep my bed but I was wrong."

"And you're wrong again," I said as I pushed Eric out of the way. I began putting the cushions back on the couch. "We are going to sleep together. The bed is big enough for the both of us. I want to sleep with you." I'd put the last pillow on the couch and took Eric's hand in mine. I pulled him to the bed with me. "This bed is so huge. Do you know what we could do on this bed?"

He cocked an eyebrow.

I looked at him and smiled. "Let's do it!" Before I knew it, I was jumping up and down in his bed like a five-year-old. And guess what? He joined me. It was the most fun. He was laughing and he looked happy. I enjoyed seeing that look on his face. It was beautiful.

At the same time, Eric and I flopped down on the bed and landed on our backs. We looked at each other and laughed. It was the best feeling. I've never felt like this with anyone else in my entire life. And I told him so. "I like you, Eric. I like you a lot and I want to be with you. I've never been this happy. You make me happy." I turned to face him and I kissed him.

He returned the kiss. It was sweet and gentle and it didn't last long. "Let us sleep because I can feel the pull of the sun. Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow."

Eric and I got under the covers. I expected that he'd sleep on his side and I'd sleep on mine but it didn't go that way. Eric lied on his back and looked up at the ceiling. I was going to sleep on my side of the bed but I didn't want to. I wanted to be close to Eric. That's what I did. I wrapped my arms around him. I settled safely into his cool body and rested my forehead against his arm. "You don't mind this, do you?"

"Not at all." He spoke so softly that I almost didn't hear him. He then lifted his arm and patted his chest.

I rested my head where I felt it belonged. "Goodnight, Eric."

"Goodnight, Sookie."

I'd never slept so peacefully in my life.


	33. Chapter 33

**33**

 **Everything Isn't as it Seems**

 **Hello, y'all. I hope that all is well. Here's the next chapter. Please enjoy. And please forgive the delay in posting the chapter. It's getting closer to the holidays and people's emotions are getting the best of them. I will do my best to keep the story going as often as I can.**

 **Thank y'all so much for reading, making this story** _ **and**_ **me a favorite, alerting, and reviewing. And welcome aboard to the new readers. As always, enjoy!**

* * *

I can't believe how happy I am. I went to bed smiling and I woke up smiling. I dreamt of me and Eric. I dreamt that we had a fulfilling and happy life together. We had many adventures. There were trials and tribulations but we made it through them. We were stronger because of them. We loved each other hard and long. And regardless of how things were perceived to be between us, they were only that much better because of us. By that, I mean that the words of the world didn't bother us. They didn't make us doubt each other. We loved even harder and I can see myself loving him for the rest of my life … no matter how long that may be. I glanced at Eric as he lay next me and joy flowed through me. I know in my heart that I'm supposed to be with him. I leaned over and kissed him before getting out of the bed.

When I went to the bathroom, I saw that Eric left instructions for me to get out of the room. He stressed several times that I needed to check the cameras before leaving the room; though I had a pretty good idea that no one would be in the house. He even wrote out instructions on how I should do that. Eric left no stone unturned. He made sure that he'd covered everything for me. He'd set up an appointment for me to meet with his day man, Bobby Burnham. Thalia had everything set up and ready for me from the video feed. There will be pictures. Eric's day man is supposed to bring everything that I need. It seems that Eric doesn't want me to leave the house today, contrary to what we'd discussed last night. It's not because he's hiding me away from the world. He said that Jake and crew have some work to do for the Colonel and I'll have no one guarding me while he's resting. I'm wondering if they have to get rid of the evidence of last night's activities. I wonder what they're going to do with Dawn's body. I guess the less I know about that, the better. Anyway, I'm happy to stay inside. There's nowhere I'd rather be.

After I'd showered, I dressed in a pair of jeans and a top. I checked Eric's three hundred cameras to be sure that no one was in the house, though I couldn't figure out why anyone would risk death by coming into Eric's home. And none too surprised, Eric and I were alone. Soon after, I stepped from behind the fridge and made sure that it snapped perfectly back into place. And because I was curious, I opened the door to the fridge to see if the peek-a-boo door would open and it didn't open. "Well, turn me upside down and paint me blue." Vampires are so innovative.

I was kind of hungry but was out of luck since Eric had no food. There was no way that I could stay holed up in the house for an entire day and not eat. I'm a growing woman. I need sustenance. I needed biscuits and gravy with a fried egg on the side. Any other time, I'd hightail it to Gran's but I don't know where they are. My only choice was to go to the local grocery store and buy what I'd need. I also needed to go to my apartment to get clothes but I can do that when Eric wakes up. I threw my arms out and said, "Going to the grocery store should be okay." I went into the living room and grabbed my car keys.

When I opened the door, there was a man standing there with his fist in midair, preparing to knock on the door. He was a nice-looking man. His smile reached his eyes and he looked friendly enough. He was well dressed and well groomed. And not a bad thought in his head. "Ms. Stackhouse?" he asked.

"Yes," I said as I returned his welcoming smile.

Still smiling, he said, "I'm Bobby Burnham." He offered me his hand. "I'm Eric's day man. Pleased to meet you."

"Please, call me Sookie." I returned his hand shake enthusiastically. "And it's very nice to meet you as well, Mr. Burnham. Won't you come in?" I stepped to the side to let him enter.

He shook his head no. "I have to bring in the groceries and please call me Bobby, Sookie." He began to laugh. "Eric had me purchase almost everything that they had in the store. You won't believe how much that grocery bill was." He shook his head in disbelief. He peeked behind with a quizzical look on his face. "Are you the only here?"

"I am."

He chuckled. He looked me up and down and shook his head. "I'm almost certain that there's no way that you can eat as much food as Eric had me buy. I thought that he was feeding an army."

I chuckled as I began to step outside. "Let me help you."

"No," he said as he raised his hand. "Eric wouldn't want that. I can do it. It may take me a few hours but I'll bring them inside." He laughed at his joke.

"Okay, Bobby," I said. "I'll make a deal with you. You bring them in and I'll put them away. And once I'm done with that, I'll make us some breakfast. Deal?"

His smile broadened. "How can I turn down a home cooked breakfast with a beautiful, young lady. It's a deal."

So, that's what we did. He brought in the groceries and I put them up. And he was right. There was barely enough room in the fridge or cabinets for the amount of food that Eric had him buy but we made do and I made us a great breakfast of biscuits and gravy with fried eggs. We talked and got to know each other a little. It was a great morning with great company and great conversation. And now that breakfast and the dishes were done, I needed to get to work. We needed to get Pam home. I sighed and asked, "Do you have something for me?"

"I do." He reached for the folder that he'd placed in the chair next to him. He pulled out a thick stack of papers and three CDs and placed them in front of me. "Thalia said that if I didn't get this to you, I could kiss my candy ass goodbye. So, here I am, getting this to you." He glanced down at the table briefly and said, "That is one scary vampire."

"You think so?" I asked. "I thought that she was a joy when I met her."

Bobby looked at me and frowned. "Thalia?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

"The vampire called Thalia?"

"Uh-huh."

He shook his head. "I've heard her call many things but she's never been called a joy. She's anything but." He looked over his shoulder as if he'd expected her to show up. "She's a freaking nightmare. You wouldn't believe how she's terrorized me since I've been working for Eric. She's only happy when she's making my life a living hell and scaring the begeezus out of me."

Though I didn't mean to laugh at his discomfort, I couldn't help it. I'd even apologized for it. "I don't mean to laugh at you. Forgive me but I can't see Thalia doing that. I guess I'll find out once I'm around her long enough."

He fanned me off. "It's okay if you laugh. I had to laugh the first time to keep from crying but I've learned to stay away from her when she's in town. I would've avoided her this time if Eric hadn't sent met to where she's staying. Thank God she was sleeping." He shrugged his shoulders. "What can I do? It's all part of the job."

"Yeah," I said as I half listened to him. I looked through the stack of papers and glanced over the info that Thalia had sent to me. There was a lot of information. She'd given me the name of every vampire and human that is a part of Eric's retinue. She noted that she's going to set up an appointment for me to meet with the humans so that I can read them. She's going to speak with Eric about when it can be done. She and Eric are going to be with me when we meet with the vampires. She said that he wants me to meet them. They need to know who I am and what I am to him. She'd printed out the full colored pictures of the killers from Pam's house that night that I'd requested but I only wanted the one. I wanted the picture of the pale man. And there it was. She had a picture of the pale man that was pretending to be Pam's lover, Barry Horowitz. I studied his face for as long as I could. I wanted to know every inch of his face just in case I ever see him. The color of his eyes … pitch black. Thin lips. Stringy hair. Plain to look at but those eyes. They were dead. There was no sign of life in them. It amazed me that Andy wasn't suspicious of this guy. Just looking at his picture, I could see that he was everything bad. There were pictures of the backs of hands. He had tattoos on them … Death's Friend. I believed that to be true. He had the palest skin with the darkest hair. He looked scarier than some of the vampires I've met. "Where are you?" I whispered.

"May I?"

I looked up to see Bobby sitting across from me. I'd forgotten that he was even here with me. "Sure," I said. I handed him the pictures of the pale man. I was sure that Eric would be okay with since he has trusted him enough to let him come into his home while he's resting. "Have you ever seen him anywhere near Eric or Pam? Maybe you've seen him at the bar or you might remember those tattoos."

Bobby was frowning as he looked at the picture. He shook his head no. "But I can tell you where he got that tattoo. I'd know that work anywhere. I have that same script written across my back." He poked his finger at the picture and said, "The Devil's Den. That guy is a tattoo god." He then looked at me. "If anyone can tell you who this is and where he is, it's him. His name is Kev. A Russian guy. Everyone goes to him. I promise you. He can tell you anything that you need to know. Kev, he can tell you." He handed the picture back to me. "He has the memory of an elephant. Everyone that comes into his shop, always returns. He has a strong rapport with his clients. Just don't go alone. He loves to hit on blondes. He loves blondes."

"Thanks, I'll remember that," I said as I took the picture from him and placed it back into the folder.

"Oh," Bobby said. "Eric also told me to give you this." He reached into his pocket and handed me a credit card.

I looked at the card and then at him. "What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Order some clothes, go shopping," he said. "Eric said that you're not going to be able to go back to your apartment just yet. He said that he'll explain that to you when he rises. He wants you to order whatever you need and have it delivered today if possible."

I shook my head no. "I can't do that. I have lots of clothes at home. Eric can go with me …"

Bobby shook his head no. "He said that your home is under surveillance." He raised his hands up in surrender and said, "He didn't tell me why. He just told me that you needed to order your clothes and whatever else you need with this credit card." He shoved it at me once more. "You have to take it. That's what the boss wants, so that's what the boss gets."

"Thanks," I said as I took it. I didn't want Eric buying me clothes when I have clothes at home but I clearly understand why I can't go home to get my things. I can't and won't let my pride get in the way of what we need to do. I placed the card on the table as I smiled at Bobby and jokingly said, "I hope that I don't go overboard."

"You won't," Bobby replied. "Eric told me to tell you to get whatever you want."

Faking the funk, I smiled and said, "Great. That's great."

Bobby and I talked a few more minutes before calling it a day. "I will let Eric know that you've done your job and all's well in the Northman household. It was really nice meeting you, Bobby." I offered him my hand once more.

He shook it enthusiastically. "It was great meeting you, Sookie. And the breakfast," he said as he rubbed his stomach. "It was delicious. You're a great cook. You're going to make someone a great wife one day."

I wanted to tell him that the man that I want doesn't eat human food but I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to let Bobby know anything about me and Eric. Just because he had pleasing thoughts, it doesn't mean that he won't betray Eric if he gets the chance. Look at Maxwell Lee. Eric has known and obviously trusted him for many, many years and he took his sister away from him. We can't be sure of who we can trust. We have to be careful. _I_ have to be careful. "If he loves biscuits and gravy, he's the man for me."

Once Bobby was gone, I got to work. I took the folder from the kitchen table and went to Eric's office. I had to use his computer. Thalia sent me the recordings of what happened that fateful morning at Pam's home and she said that I was going to be able to see whatever I needed to see. She's the self-proclaimed computer whiz of the vampire world. As soon as I sat at his desk, I slid in the first disc. I thought that I'd be nervous about watching Weres that I know be murdered over again but I wasn't nervous. I was okay with what I was seeing for the millionth time. I was doing my job. After last night, I know that I can't let my emotions get in the way. If it's necessary, I can cry later. Now was not the time. There was no time for tears or sadness.

I studied the murderers and they were well prepared. They did everything in sync and though it was gruesome, it was beautifully choreographed. They were well prepared when they attacked Eric's vampires and the humans. They knew where to hide and which parts of the house to hit. Maxwell trained them well. And oddly enough, they were unassuming. Their van was a typical looking black van. There was nothing about it that stands out. Nothing extraordinary … not even the name plastered on the side of it … Anna's Maid Service. But that's not what caught my eye. What caught my eye was the woman driving the van. It couldn't have been Dawn because she was already in the house. I zoomed in on her face but I couldn't make out who she was. There was something familiar about her. I couldn't tell because of the hat and the shades. The long dark hair, it wasn't a wig. If it was a wig, why would she need to wear a hat? I leaned in closer to the screen when she turned to face the people in the passenger seat. And I still couldn't recognize her.

"Dang it!" I mumbled.

I watched the discs several more times and I still didn't understand why Maxwell is mad at Eric. If he's mad at Eric, why kill all of those people? He could've fought Eric up front. I don't get it and the discs tell me nothing. I still don't know what happened in Paris. Why was taking Pam so important to him? How did he learn that Pam is Eric's sister? I'm most certain that Eric wouldn't have written anything like that down and I'm sure that he didn't brag about it. He and Pam have everyone in the vampire world believing that they are lovers. So, how did Maxwell know?

I stood up from Eric's chair and went to the couch to lie down. I draped my arm over my forehead as I closed my eyes. If you really think about it, it's not going to matter why Maxwell took Pam or how he knew about Eric's and Pam's relationship. He was going to die. They all are going to die once Pam has been released. Shoot, maybe even before they let her go. He's going to kill everyone that's involved. No amount of begging is going to save them. I don't see Eric as being a very forgiving person; especially not to people that have betrayed him … and by people, I mean vampires and anyone else who'd be dumb enough to cross him. I didn't know Maxwell very well but he appeared to be a smart vampire but I guess I was wrong. But what if I'm not? What if the entire kidnapping is just a trap? What if it has nothing to do with Pam being Eric's sister? What if they don't know and they truly believe that Pam is Eric's child … which she is. What if taking Pam is Maxwell's way to break Eric … weaken him?

And that made me laugh.

Regardless of what they believe, Eric's not going to fall for some stupid trap. He's no dummy and from what I can tell, he's never been stupid either. They know that if Pam so much as has a hair out of place, they will die. They won't hurt her because their plan won't work. They can't get what they need from Eric if they do. I'll bet she's safe and sound.

I began to think about the pale man, Barry Horowitz. Another telepath. I wonder what he has to do with all this. It never occurred to me that there was another telepath in this world. Does that mean we're related? Is he a Brigant and if he is, why is he working with the vampires to destroy Eric? Maybe he doesn't have a choice. I can't help but think that Barry may not have had a choice in the life that was chosen for him. Some vampire could have accidentally stumbled up on Barry and took him as his own. After all, he's an asset. A valuable asset that any king or queen would proud to have. I wonder if …

"Well, shut my mouth," I exclaimed as I hurriedly sat up on the couch. I began to pace around the room. She lied to me! Dawn lied to me! Why didn't I realize this at first? I began pacing back and forth as my mind went back to this morning. I read her earlier that morning. I could see everything she'd done and said the night before. I could see what happened with her and Maxwell. I got her entire conversation from her mind. There's no way that someone taught her to keep out before meeting me. She couldn't keep me out of her head. There's no way that Barry told her how to keep me out of her head before she was captured. Someone told her how to do it after we'd taken her. I racked my brain to figure out who was missing from the meeting last night and nothing came to mind. I was too damned nervous about what was going to happen with Dawn that I didn't pay attention. "Why wasn't I paying attention to what was going on? I messed up. We could have had the person that betrayed us last night if he was still there."

Maybe I'm being too hard on myself. Maybe everyone was there and I just didn't notice. I don't recall seeing any strange face but then again, I wasn't paying attention. I'm sure the Weres would've recognized a stranger at one of their meetings. I reached into my pocket for my cell phone and realized that I'd left it in Eric's room. Maybe that's a good thing. It wouldn't be a good idea to call any of them anyway. We can't involve any of them anymore. Well, as far as they know. "We have a traitor in the pack." That same traitor could've been in on the murders of the vampires, humans, and Weres. They also had to a part of the kidnapping of Pam. No one can know this but me and Eric. He's the only one that I can trust.

I looked up at the wall clock. I still had several hours before Eric gets up. "Six more hours and I can't talk to anyone about what's going on. I can't go anywhere. I have no one to call." I sighed and decided to go outside to get some fresh air. "I guess that won't hurt anything."

Getting fresh air and being under the sunlight has always been relaxing for me. If I had a swimsuit, I'd sunbathe but no such luck. Being in the sunlight, it keeps me focused and that's what I needed. I sat on the porch swing and looked out at Eric's neighborhood. It was quite peaceful. The scenery was beautiful. The houses were beautiful and looked well kept. The early morning breeze and the sounds of the birds made everything seem much better. I couldn't believe that fall is just around the corner. I've always loved fall. And just like that, I was sad. Fall has always been the season that brought me and Gran closer together. We baked and gossiped. We planned the Thanksgiving and Christmas menus together. It's what we've always done. We might not be doing it this year. I don't know where she is. I don't know where any of them are. No one has tried to contact me or send me any messages through Sam. I guess it's not safe.

"Ms. Stackhouse?"

I looked up to see a round man looking at me … smiling and carrying a briefcase. "Yes?"

"I'm Desmond Cataliades. I am your benefactor." He pointed at the seat next to me. "May I join you?"

"Sure." I stood and offered him my hand in greeting. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Cataliades. Would you like something to drink?"

He shook his head no. "I'm fine thank you."

"If you're here to see Eric, you know that he's sleeping, right?"

He laughed heartily. "I am quite aware of what Mr. Northman is doing right now. He has been a long time associate of mine for many years. I am here to see you."

I didn't bother to hide the confusion from my face. "Why?"

"Because you've taken your place."

Still looking confused, I said, "Okay."

He placed his briefcase on his lap and said, "I see that you are not clear in what I mean. Here. Let me show you." He opened it pulled out a little white book and a slip of paper. "These are for you." He handed them to me with a smile as he closed his briefcase. He placed it on the porch by his feet.

I took them both and stared at them for a moment; not knowing what to do with them. To honest, I was afraid of what he was giving me. "What do I do?"

Laughing, he said, "You read them, Ms. Stackhouse."

So, that's what I did.

I read the slip of paper first.

 _Hello, my dear Ms. Stackhouse._

 _You don't know me but I am fully aware of who you are. You are my great granddaughter and I am your great grandfather. I am Niall Brigant. I am the prince of the fae. I am your grandfather's father and I am sending you this letter to welcome you to the family. Now, I know that you are wondering how we know that you've taken your place in our world. If I were you, I would be wondering the same thing but I want you to know that we are everywhere. We are always watching. We are always listening. I won't put too much in this letter because I am sure you won't understand it and that is not a slight against your intelligence. From what I've seen and heard, you are a very intelligent young lady. With that said, some things need to be said face to face. I must bring this letter to an end but we will meet each other soon, my great granddaughter._

 _Always around,_

 _Niall_

I looked at Mr. Cataliades and asked, "What does he mean he's always watching and listening? I don't like the idea of my grandfather watching me and listening in on my conversations." I shook my head no. "I don't like that at all."

He laughed once again. "He has eyes and ears everywhere, Ms. Stackhouse. He's not a spy so whatever you do in private will remain private. He wanted to make you aware that if you ever need him, he's not far from you."

"I guess," I said as I folded the paper in half. I quickly looked up at Mr. Cataliades and asked, "What do you mean you're my benefactor?"

"I'm responsible for keeping you safe while your grandfather, Fintan, is in hiding," he said. "I am your point of contact. You will no longer go through Mr. Merlotte. Your grandfather wants to make sure that you are kept safe." He quickly added, "Not that Mr. Merlotte is a bad guy but your grandfather and I have been friends for many, many, many years. You can trust me."

"We'll see," I said as I opened the little white book. I closed it just as quick as I opened it. "This isn't for me." I tried to hand the book back to him. He wouldn't take it.

He placed my hand, with the book still in it, on my lap. "You have taken your place and with that place comes power and money. Right now, you have the money. Soon, you will have the power."

I couldn't believe what was happening. Niall has written me a letter and I've been given a bank book that has more zeros in it than I can count. I looked at my benefactor and asked, "All because I said I'm a Brigant, I get this bank book, power, and a letter from Niall? Why?"

He patted my shoulder before rising from his seat. "You'll know soon enough." He ran his hand over his round belly. "I must take my leave. I have thoroughly enjoyed your company."

"Mr. C?"

He laughed once again. "No one has ever been brave enough to call me that."

I guess it was rude. "I apologize. I never should've shortened your name without asking you first."

"It's okay," he assured me. "You can call me Mr. C because I like you."

I smiled up at him. "Mr. C, what are you? I ask because you haven't invaded my mind with your thoughts. You don't look human and you're not a vampire. I don't know how I know but I know that you're not a Were. There's this buzzing that surrounds you. What are you?"

"I'm a daemon, Ms. Stackhouse."

What could I possible say to that? Hmm. I've never met a daemon. "Well, it was very nice meeting you, Mr. C. Should I expect you to return anytime soon?"

He shook his head no. "Not in the near future but you will see me again. I do have a bit of advice for you before I go … if you don't mind."

"I don't mind," I commented.

"Be careful of those that pretend to be your friends, Ms. Stackhouse. Most can be bought. Some have been purchased. Everything isn't as it seems, my dear lady."

I stood from my seat. "What do you mean?"

He nodded ever so slightly as he turned away from me. "Have a good evening, Ms. Stackhouse." He walked down the stairs of Eric's porch without looking back.


	34. Chapter 34

**34**

 **Focus, Sookie!**

 **I hope that I haven't lost my readers. Please forgive me for the delay in posting the chapter. During the holidays, my job gets a lot harder and the stress levels are ridiculous. The clients are a lot needier this time of year and because I am obligated, I have to be there for them. I hope that y'all understand. Things should go back to normal after the holidays. They usually do. I want to assure you that I have not forgotten about the story. We have invested a lot of time in this story and I assure you, I will not abandon it. So, here we go.**

* * *

When Eric emerged from the kitchen and appeared in the living room, I thought that he was wearing nothing but a towel. I thought that water was dripping over his muscular body. I thought that he'd asked me to come to him and help to dry him off. I thought that he wanted me to dry him off with my tongue and not the towel but I was wrong. He didn't say anything like that. He didn't say anything at all. When I blinked, he was dressed in a pair of dark washed jeans and a t-shirt. His eyes traveled lazily over my body … from my head to my toes. I almost begged him to make love to me and I've never felt like that. I want Eric to make love to me so that I can stop drooling over him like some lovesick teenager and then maybe I can go back to thinking like a rational human being again. I sighed as I gazed at him and that ass-itching smile.

"Good evening, Sookie," he purred.

"Hey," I croaked. I quickly turned away from him. I had to. I couldn't concentrate looking at him. "I reviewed all the footage and the pictures that Thalia sent over. Bobby brought the stuff by. He's a really nice guy, by the way. Very friendly. He thinks very highly of you. He also gave us a starting point to the investigation. He told me where we could possibly find that pale guy, Barry. He said that we needed to go to The Devil's Den. It's a tattoo parlor." I took a quick breath. I didn't need that sexy beast interrupting me. "He said that the guy that did the tattoos on Barry's hand can help us out. And I think that we have a mole in the group." I shifted a little in my seat when I felt Eric sit next to me.

"What tattoos? What mole? What have you learned?" I could feel his breath on the base of my neck as he sat next to me on the couch.

I shook my head. Focus, Sookie. You need to focus. And that's what I did. "I don't know why I thought you already knew. I'm not thinking straight right now. Anyway, I've learned that Barry was the one that was in Pam's home … possibly. We're going to find out for sure once we get to speak with the guy at the tattoo parlor. Today while I was looking at the pictures that Bobby brought over, I noticed the tattoos on the guy's hands … the guy that was in Pam's home when Andy showed up. Bobby noticed them too. He said that he knows the guy's work very well." I told Eric everything that Bobby and I discussed. "It seems like a pretty good lead. I'm sure that we'll get what we need once we go to the parlor. I was hoping that we could do that tonight." I was also hoping that he was going to say yes but he didn't.

"Is there more?" he asked as he sat closer to me.

My goodness he was so close.

I gulped down what I believed to be a boulder in my throat. Shifting a bit in my seat so that I could have a little more focus room, I answered his question. "Yes. There's more. I've learned that someone taught Dawn how to block me out of her mind _after_ she was taken to the warehouse. There was no way that she should've been able to block me out. She couldn't block me out earlier that morning. She shouldn't have been able to block me out last night." I began shaking my head as I stared at Eric. "It's not possible. The only way that it could have happened is if someone sneaked Barry in. That it is the only conclusion that I could come up with. Who else could have taught her to block me out of her mind?"

He began to nod his head. "No one else could have shown her how to do that. It's not possible for it to have been anyone else."

With a smile plastered on my face, I said, "We need to find out which Were is working with Maxwell. After Mr. C. left today …"

"Mr. C.?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded. "Mr. Cataliades."

Eric frowned. "My attorney came to see you? Did he deliver the corrected contract?"

I shook my head no. "He didn't tell me that he was your attorney. He didn't mention you at all. I wonder why he wouldn't mention you to me. Maybe it's a conflict of interest."

He didn't look happy at all. "Why would he come here to see you? How did he know that you were here?"

I had the same expression on my face as Eric. "I don't know how he knew that I was here but I know why he came to see me." I took the bank book from the coffee table and handed it to Eric. "He gave me this. He said that it was from Niall. He said that since I've taken my place in the supe world, my grandfather wanted to me to have this. Can you believe that I have access to that much money? It's ridiculous. Who needs that much money? I can't possibly spend it all."

Eric looked at the book and then at me. "Did you thank him?"

It's like he didn't hear any of the other stuff that I'd said. He just wanted to know if I'd been polite and it seemed that it would have upset him if I had been. I nodded my head yes. "I thanked Mr. C. for bringing it to me but I haven't thanked Niall yet. I haven't seen him. I haven't even met him and he gives me something like this." I leaned in and whispered, "It is the polite thing to do, you know. When someone gives you something you thank them. It lets them know that you appreciate what they've done for you. You know this, Eric. You're old enough to know this. I'm sure your mother taught you manners. You're not so old that you've forgotten them." But hey, I could be wrong. He can be quite rude at times.

Staring deep into my eyes, Eric said, "Don't ever thank a faery. Once you do, you're obligated to them and they will make sure that you pay. They all expect repayment … in any form."

I swallowed the oversized lump that had suddenly returned. Why can't thank you just mean thank you? What could Niall possibly want from me? I have nothing to give him or any other faery for that matter. And then I thought back to the day I met Claudine. The day she saved me from Quinn. The day she asked me about my love life. The day she asked me about my feelings for Eric. Did I thank her? I began to wrack my brain for the answer and couldn't come up with one because I don't remember. I'm almost sure that I did. That's the way I was raised. Gran would've tanned my hide if I hadn't thanked her for practically saving my life. What if I thanked her? What if she expects something in return that I can't give? It doesn't matter that she said that she's my faery godmother. Just because she saved me from Quinn doesn't mean that she did it because she's my faery godmother. Faery godmothers can be sneaky too, right? They are faeries.

"Sookie?" Eric gently rested his hand on my arm. He looked concerned as he studied my face.

I smiled at him. "I won't thank him," I promised him. I didn't bother to mention Claudine. "What I will do is tell you what I think about the mole in the group. After Mr. C. left, I tried to think of any new faces that were with us last night. Every face that was there, we know. We've seen them several times. We've worked with them. Someone that you trust is betraying you. Maxwell still has someone on the inside. At first I thought that it would be a great idea if we cut them off but then they'll get suspicious and we're screwed." I scooted closer to Eric and began to whisper. "I think that we need to keep working with them as if we know nothing. We have to keep things as they have been. I'll listen in as I've always done and whatever I learn, we'll use. I can speak with the humans that hang around the Weres to see what I can find out. Maybe they'll know something."

I noticed the flash of anger that appeared in Eric's eyes. "I'm not surprised. It happens quite often in the supe world. You can't trust anyone but yourself."

Now, that disturbed me.

"And because I know this," he continued. "I should've been more vigilant. I should've forced Pam to come and live with me. I shouldn't have given her a choice."

I took Eric's hand in mine and placed it in my lap. "You can't blame yourself for what happened. It happens in the human world too, Eric. Look at my mom and my brother. You can't get any worse than that. You believed that you'd surrounded yourself and Pam with loyal vampires. You've know Maxwell for hundreds of years. You have been working with the Weres for years with no problems. But not everyone's bad, right? Everyone that I've met since working for you have spoken highly of you. Well, the ones that we know that haven't been backstabbers." I squeezed his hand as I continued. "So, many of them have the greatest respect for you. They believe in and trust you. You're a good person … man … vampire. Why would you believe that you'd be betrayed? Many of them have shown you loyalty."

With his hand still in mine, Eric whipped his phone out of his pocket. His lips were moving a mile a minute and I couldn't hear a word that he was saying. It didn't matter because I knew that everything was going to be okay and he confirmed it when he ended the call. "Thalia's going to take care of it. She and her children will track the Weres and their humans. We'll know soon who the spy is … or spies."

I opened my mouth and inhaled deeply and said, "And what do we do once we find out who the traitor is?"

"I will kill them," he replied coldly, simply. "Once we get what we need from them, I will kill them."

I closed my eyes and sighed. I've seen over ten deaths since I've been working for Eric. I don't like it. I don't want it to become a normalcy in my life. I can't stop him from killing his enemies but I can make it easier on me. I stood up from the couch and walked to the center of the room. I looked at him and said, "And I'll be there when you question them but after … I don't want to be there for after, okay?" I shook my head no. "I don't want to see that."

Soon, he was standing in front of me. Eric gently placed his hand on my cheek. "And you won't have to." He leaned forward, bringing his body closer to mine. "You won't have to see it."

As we gazed at each other, I couldn't think. My mind was all fuzzy and wonky. We were just talking about him killing people and here I am drooling over this sexy vampire. As I said before, no one has ever made feel like this. He makes me forget myself. If he was any other guy, I would've never ran my hands over his chest and down his toned and firmed stomach. There's no way I would've been brave enough to pull him down to my mouth. I wouldn't have brushed my lips across his and told him how good he tastes. The old Sookie Stackhouse would've never been so brazen. She would've waited for him to do it but not this time. And for a brief moment, I was glad that she'd let herself take something that she wanted. I was glad that she'd deepened the kiss and enjoyed it. Just for a moment.

My heart was pounding in my chest when I broke the kiss and opened my eyes to look at him. His were closed and he looked so handsome. So peaceful. I caressed his cheek and smiled.

When he opened his eyes and looked at me, they were filled with something primal and I liked it. He reached for me and I stepped away from him. Not because I wanted to but because I had to. I wanted him to take what he wanted from me. And he did. He soon had me pressed against the wall. "What you do to me, Sookie Stackhouse." He began to nuzzle my neck as he lifted me in his arms. My legs were wrapped around his waist. He stared deep into my eyes and repeated, "What you do to me."

I opened my mouth to speak but couldn't say a word. I started to lick my suddenly dry lips. His beautiful eyes were watching every movement of my tongue. He groaned as he pressed his body closer to mine. My legs were wrapped tighter around his waist. I began to study him. He's a killer. A serial killer, mind you. He drinks blood. He can make people do whatever he wants them to do. He's _way_ older than I am. More experienced in life. I can't help but wonder what it is that he sees in me.

Here I am, some backwoods but educated, telepathic virgin that has had very little experience in the world or in life. I can count the number of friends that I have on one hand and still have three fingers leftover. I've been on dates but never had a boyfriend. I've never been out of the state of Louisiana. I have not experience at all and he doesn't care. He's here with me. Finally finding my voice, I said, "You do it to me too."

"I'd like to." His breath brushed against my skin. "I want to have you for the rest of your life."

Chills went through me. I would love to have him for the rest of my life. I can only imagine the life that we'd have together. Before I could tell him what I wanted to say, his phone began to ring. Still holding me in his arms, he took the call. "Speak," he ordered.

I didn't hear a word that was said. My focus was on him. I watched his mouth. I watched the way his tongue would press against his teeth as he spoke certain words. I watched his jaw tense when he'd hear something that he didn't like. I could feel his anger and I soothed me. It made me feel closer to him.

"Sookie?"

"Yeah," I whispered.

"I have to go."

I nodded.

He kissed me lightly once more before speaking. "Jake's coming to meet us. He's going to follow us to the warehouse. He doesn't know that we've discovered that there's a traitor in the group. He's been told that I have to meet Thalia and he needs to keep an eye on you. He won't be the only one watching you. Thalia's child, Gwen will be there as well. She's going to meet us at the warehouse. I know that you like him but until we discover the mole, he can't be trusted either."

I didn't even realize that he'd made another call. "I get it." I brushed my lips across his.

His tongue tasted my lips. "I will go inside with you. I will linger about for a moment before I leave."

My arms tightened around his neck. "Okay. I'll make sure to have my weapons with me." I wasn't too far gone that I wasn't going to protect myself.

He kissed from my lips to my ear. I shivered. "I wouldn't allow you to go if you didn't have them."

I nodded as I tilted my head to the side. "I know and I'll be safe."

"You will," he agreed as he nibbled at my neck. "When I am done meeting with Thalia, I will come and get you. Jake will not be bringing you home."

"I'll be ready," I moaned.

Grinding himself against me, he said, "We will finish what we've started."

"We will," I answered.

He kissed me again before putting me back on my feet. "We're together … in this." He looked down at me and said, "We're together."

"We are. I've already claimed you." I shrugged my shoulders and added, "I claimed you in front of the king. You're mine."

"Yes."

"I'm yours."

His fangs snapped into place. He growled what sounded like a yes. He reached for me once more but the doorbell rang.

"I guess it's Jake?" I asked.

"It is."

I walked around Eric and began to do whatever I could to loosen up because I was as tense as I've ever been. I began waving my arms around and shaking my legs. I began moving my head back and forth. I even jumped up and down. I thought about that old song and began whipping my hair back and forth. I needed to try and get Eric off my brain. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm loosening up," I clarified. "I need to get the blood flowing. I should get focused on what I have to do tonight. I can't go to the warehouse thinking about you. I won't get anything done." The doorbell rang once again and I danced my way to the door.

Eric was behind me laughing. "You make me happy, Sookie."

It was going to be a long night.


	35. Chapter 35

**35**

 **Your Choice**

 **Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, my fellow Eric and Sookie lovers! I hope that each of you have a wonderful holiday. And as always, the story idea is mine but these wonderful main characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

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Sookie and I followed Jake to the warehouse. She was talking but nothing that she was saying was coming through. She was thinking about the job. I was thinking about her. I couldn't get her out of my head. Since the night she walked into my bar, I have been preoccupied with her … from her outstanding wit to her astonishing bravery. I've had many beautiful and powerful women in my bed. Each of them wanted me. Every inch of me. Begging for a single kiss. Begging for me to fuck them into complete exhaustion. They wanted my time, my love but I gave them nothing more than I wanted them to have. They were willing to take what they could get from me. But Sookie? Not her. She doesn't fall at my feet. She doesn't cater to my every whim. She's not enthralled by the sheer power that I exude. She doesn't want whatever I'm willing to give. She wants all that I have to offer her. She would never settle for the minimum. It makes me want her more. I want to kiss her forever. I want to make love to her forever. I want to make her mine forever but that will never be. I will have her while I can; though it will never be enough.

"Your phone's ringing."

I looked from Sookie to my phone. As I said, she is on my mind.

"You okay?" A look of concern was clearly on her face.

I gave her a slight nod as I answered the call. "This is Eric."

Speaking in her usually bored tone, Thalia said, "It's me. You need to come to the bar at once. Use the back way when you come. There are a couple of vampires that are here and they are under Victor's rule. We're not sure why they're here and we don't want them to know that you are coming in. I don't know why they're here but we'll find out soon enough."

I glanced briefly at Sookie. "Are they still there?"

"Yes. Should I question why?"

"Do nothing," I advised. "Do not confront them. Act as if they aren't there. If they leave, have them followed."

I could almost see Thalia smiling. "Done."

Sookie shifted in her seat and looked at me. "What's going on?"

I shook my head at her. "Once the call is done."

She nodded her okay.

"Have you heard anything … why they're there … what they want?"

"We don't know," Thalia answered. "My child is keeping an eye on them. Nothing has happened yet. We'll keep them surveilled. We also have some new people for you to meet … which is the reason for my call. Our guests may know who sneaked in that douche bag Barry. We don't know the name of the Weres that helped him get in but we'll find out." She began sucking her teeth. "You could bring your woman with you. Maybe we could get her to listen in. Bring her with you instead of leaving her with Jake. I'll call Gwen back here to meet us. I can have her follow Victor's vampires to see what's going on. You can let Jake know that things have changed and you won't need him tonight. How is that for a plan?"

The news that Thalia has given me has angered me. I've let two humans, two fucking humans, participate in the kidnapping of my child. I have become complacent and relaxed in my position as sheriff and as a maker. I've made myself believe that no one would have the gall to betray me. Whomever has taken my child knew this about me. This entire fiasco is about power and because they have Pam, they believe that they have power over me. What fools they are. Do they not realize that I know that no harm will come to Pam? They know that if anything happens to her, whatever it is that they want, they'll never get. I may have been lax in my thinking and trusting but it will never happen again. They will never have the upper hand. I will get my revenge and it will be bloody. They will never have power over me. What has happened, will never happen again. Nothing or no will ever have the chance to betray me again. They never get the chance to play me for a fool.

"Are you there?" Thalia sounded concerned.

I answered her quickly before ending the call. "Sookie and I will meet you there soon." My next call was to Jake. "Our plans have changed. Your services are no longer needed." I ended the call and placed my phone in my pocket.

"What's going on?" Sookie asked.

"Our plans have changed." I stared straight ahead.

"Thalia?"

"Thalia." I let Sookie know what Thalia reported. I also reminded her of my true intentions once the questioning of the prisoners is done. "You will question them. You will read them but when you are done, you must leave because their lives will be mine." I looked at her when I said, "Their blood will belong to me."

"I understand," she agreed. "I told you. I get it. We all have a job to do. Mine is to question them. Yours is to kill them. They're our enemies."

"Ours?" I asked as I looked at her from the corner of my eye

"Yes," she replied. "They have betrayed us."

Pride filled me … doubt soon followed. I know that she said that she's with me and that she's okay with what I am and what I must do but I need to hear her say it again. Though I am, I don't want her to see me as a monster. "You understand what I am, what I do. I can't let our enemies get away with what they've done."

"Yeah," she answered. She was soon staring at the side of my face. "Yeah. I do. You'd be seen as weak. That's not what you are. You're a strong and powerful vampire. You have to do what's necessary. We're in this together, remember? We're together."

That's all I needed to hear.

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 **0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

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When Sookie and I entered the bar through the back way, Thalia was standing by the door waiting for us. "Good evening, Sookie. How are you this fine evening?"

Smiling, Sookie answered, "Very well, thank you. How are you?"

"Fine and glorious," Thalia replied.

I've never seen Thalia get friendly with anyone much less someone that she believes to be human. She hates everyone but her children. There have been instances when I believed that she only tolerates me because of my position in the vampire world. "You will be pleased with what we have waiting for you, Sheriff. They are thoroughly afraid."

"What do you know?"

She shrugged her shoulders and nonchalantly said, "Nothing. We haven't questioned them. We are saving that for you and the telepath." She had a smirk on her face as she looked as Sookie. "I'm interested in seeing how your little woman gets into their empty heads."

Sookie chuckled. "Let's hope that their heads aren't empty. We need to find out what they know."

I looked on proudly. "She will amaze you," I assured her. I took Sookie's hand in mine. "She is amazing."

"Come," Thalia ordered as she led the way to the basement. "Let us get started but before we do, there is something that I must say. I owe you an apology, Master."

I've never known for Thalia to apologize to anyone, much less admit that she's wrong about something. I was soon quite intrigued. Frowning, I stared at her. "Explain yourself."

"The traitors," she said. "I should've found them. You've hired me to do a job and I have failed you. It was a simple matter of paying closer attention to the footage and I did not do that." Never missing a step as she walked down the narrow stairway, she glanced at me over her shoulder. "Forgive me for my failures. It won't happen again."

There's no reason for her feel as if she'd failed me but Thalia is a vampire of old. Her name is everything to her. There was only thing that I could I say to her. "You are forgiven."

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, Thalia turned to face me and bowed deeply. "They will not succeed with their failed plan, Master."

"No, they will not," I promised. "Whomever has done this, whomever has supported Maxwell in this betrayal, has overplayed their hand and because of it, they will die."

Thalia's fangs dropped in response. "They will." She led us a little further to the back room. She opened the door to the blue room and there they were. Two humans. They were dressed in their pajamas. They weren't tied or shackled to their chairs. They were standing in the middle of the room. I was shocked at was before me. They had the audacious notion to not be afraid of what awaits them. If anything, they looked upset.

The first human let us know just how upset he was. "What the fuck is going on here? Why was I taken from my home? I have a job to go to tonight! I work a 3rd shift job, dammit! What the fuck, man!"

The second man looked at his 'friend' but didn't say anything.

Anger rolled through me. Looking at Sookie, I said to Thalia, "Take Sookie to the empty room at the end of the hall. Keep her there until I call for you both." I turned to face the men. "I need to speak with these wonderful and friendly gentlemen alone."

"Yes, Master," Thalia said. She walked to where Sookie was standing and waited.

Sookie looked up at me and swallowed. She knew what was coming next. She slowly nodded. "Yes, Master."

"Thank you." I gave her a slight nod as I turned away from them. Once I heard the door close behind me, I sat in the empty chair that was sitting in the middle of the room. "Please, sit," I said to the men. I pointed to the chairs that were behind them.

The second man went to the corner and sat in the first chair he'd seen but the first guy. Oh, no. He wanted to be defiant. He wanted to show off for his little friend. He wanted to show that he wasn't afraid, though the stink of his fear saturated the room. "I'm not fucking sitting down! I want to know why the fuck I'm here and not in my bed! I have four more fucking hours of sleep left that I need to get before I go to work tonight!" He stomped over to me and put his finger in my face. "You're going to fucking tell me now, motherfucker!"

I reached up and grabbed his hand as I pulled him close to me and I broke his fingers. I broke every finger on his right hand. Slowly. Deliberately. Angrily. The sounds of his screams as his bones cracked and shattered made me smile. The man fell to his knees. I leaned down and whispered in his ear. "Now. Shall we start again?" I turned the man's face to mine and said. "Please, sit."

Cradling his hand to his chest, he did as I requested. The second human was trembling as he watched his friend rock back and forth. Sighing needlessly, I said, "As you both already know, I'm Eric Northman. I'm the Sheriff of Area Five. My child has been kidnapped by the person that employs you … which you both already know. Now, I'd like to know your names."

The second human said, "I'm Andrew. My name is Andrew."

I looked at Broken Fingers and said, "And you."

He squeezed his eyes closed while answering me. "What does it matter? You're going to kill me no matter what I say." He looked at Andrew and said, "Don't say shit. They're going to kill us no matter what we do. If we keep quiet, our families will be taken care of." Through clinched teeth he said, "Keep your fucking mouth closed."

Andrew looked at Broken Fingers and dropped his head.

"Look at me, Andrew," I ordered.

He looked up at me … slowly. "Yes, sir?"

I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. "You know that I am serious about getting my child back. There's only one way for you to know that I don't make threats." I unhurriedly removed my jacked and placed it on the back of my chair.

Broken Fingers was soon a broken mess of human flesh. He was barely alive; which I couldn't believe. After all that he'd been through, I expected him to be dead. I was wrong. He was much stronger than I believe him to be. His moans and groans allowed me to know that he had very little life left in him. Andrew looked on horrified. His screams were just as loud as Broken Fingers. The rancid smell of fear was stronger than Broken Fingers. His eyes held fear and regret. I slowly walked over to Andrew and looked down at him. I pointed at the bloody mass that used to be human and said, "This is your future."

"I'll talk," he answered. "Whatever you want to know, I'll tell ya. I'll tell you everything."

"Good," I replied. "That is best." I patted Andrew on the shoulder before walking away. I stood over Broken Fingers. I raised my foot and stomped his head. The groans and moans stopped instantly.

In less than five seconds, I had Andrew in the red room and tied to his chair. I cleaned the blood from my shoes and changed my shirt. I made Sookie a promise and I will keep it. She was not going to know of what happened to Broken Fingers. I removed my cell from my pocket and called Thalia. "I'm in the red room. Bring Sookie with you."

Seconds later, Thalia and Sookie were with me. Thalia noticed that Andrew was alone. "Example?" Sookie asked as she stood next to me.

"Yes."

Sookie looked at Andrew. "I guess you're the smart one of the two … if you can say that."

Thalia chuckled. "You have the grandest sense of humor, my friend. Absolutely grand."

"Thanks," Sookie replied sarcastically. She began to sigh. "When will you people learn that you can't get over on the vampires? They're always going to find you. I know that you know this, yet, you chose to be in that chair." She shook her head and said, "Stupid."

I grabbed a chair from the other side of the room and placed it in from of my victim. "Thanks," Sookie said as she sat down. She stared at Andrew for a long minute. She looked down at his hands and asked, "May I?"

He looked at me before placing his hands in hers.

"Thank you," she said. She closed her eyes and did what she does. She was learning from him. Reading him. Getting all that she could from him in case he decides to lie. She released his hand and looked at him. "So, I can tell you are a treasure trove of secrets. What do you have to tell us about what you've done and who you work for."

Andrew glanced at Sookie but looked at me. His eyes were wide with terror. He didn't know what was going to happen but he knew that it wasn't going to end well in his favor. "I'm a spy. I've been spying for the past six months." He looked at me and said, "I didn't have a choice."

I stepped forward but Sookie stopped me. "Thanks for sharing that with me. I appreciate it. You're getting off to a great start, Andrew."

His eyes were even wider. "How … how'd you know my name?" He pointed at me. "I didn't hear him tell you my name. How do you know who I am?"

Sookie smiled at him. "I guess you would be wondering that. Let me introduce myself. I'm Sookie Stackhouse and I'm a telepath. That means that I can read your mind and that's what I did when I first met you and held your hands. It also means that you can't lie to us." She was still smiling.

Andrew heard all that Sookie said but none of it mattered. He was focused on me and Thalia. Our power scared him. Knowing what we could to do him was apparent in his eyes. We glared at him. We showed him our power. With only our eyes, we let him know that he has every reason to fear us. The man began to shake uncontrollably.

Sookie glanced at us over her shoulder. "Don't pay them any mind, Andrew. Focus on me, okay?" She looked up at me and asked, "What did you do to him in that room?"

"Nothing. I did nothing." I looked as innocent as ever and there's one thing that Sookie has learned and that is that there is no such thing as an innocent vampire.

She reached out and grabbed Andrew's hand again. She didn't see what happened to his friend. I put another memory in its place. It was an entertaining memory. In the memory, he and I were playing Connect Four. We had a great time. I won each game.

"Really?" she asked as she looked up at me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "You said that you didn't want to see."

"See what?" Andrew asked.

We both ignored him.

Sookie rolled her eyes at me and smiled. "So, Andrew, are you going to tell use the truth."

With a sullen look on his face, he looked at Sookie and asked, "Do you know what they are? They're murderers. They drink human blood. They eat us and then they kill us. Do you know what you're doing? He's going to kill me tonight."

"I know," she answered.

"But you're helping them."

Again, she said, "I know. I work for him … just like you work for your vampire."

Andrew began to shake his head. "I don't work for them because I want to do. I had no choice. I wasn't given a choice."

"I know," she said. "I read your mind, remember? You did this for the safety of your family." She rested her elbows on her knees. "And you also needed the money."

Andrew's shoulders slumped.

"Was it worth it?"

He shook his head no. "The money is what kept me doing it. I figured that if I was going to die, I could at least leave my family well taken care of."

"Yeah," she agreed. "I can see how that can affect your decision. But you know what?" She scooted her chair closer to his which caused me to move with her. She crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. "You can change all this. You can make things right by telling Eric everything that you know." She began to kick her leg back and forth. "You'll only make things worse for yourself if he has to force you to tell the truth. Show him that you want to cooperate with him. Give him what he wants."

I wanted to tell her that she shouldn't have said that to him but what could I say? She didn't promise him that he'd live. She didn't tell him that I'd let him go. She told him to make things right. That could be her way of telling him that I could kill him quickly and not force him to suffer. Damn, she's good.

Andrew looked up at me and chuckled but just a bit. "I can read between the lines, Ms. Stackhouse. You're telling me that I will have a quick death if I do what your vampire friends want me to do."

I guess he knew it too.

I wouldn't let Sookie answer him. "She's giving you a chance to not end up like your friend."

Sookie looked at me from the corner of her eye.

Andrew looked confused.

I decided that he no longer needed the Connect Four memory. He needed to know the truth. I leaned down and stared into his eyes and glamored him once more but this time with the truth. I reminded him of how his friend sliced into his own flesh with the sharp knives that I'd given him. I reminded him of how his friend ripped out his throat with his own hands. He needed to see the bloody mass of flesh that once sat in the middle of the floor. He needed to see me crush the man's head once more. The shaking of his body and his sweaty face were proof that I'd achieved my goal. I stood tall and looked down at him. "Your choice."

Andrew dropped his head. "I have a family. You have to understand why I did it. I had no choice. He didn't give me one."

"Quinn," she said.

"Yes," he answered.

"The dead guy," Sookie began. "Roger … was he working for them too?"

"Yes."

"You're different from Roger," she said. "He wanted to do it. He liked working for the vampires."

"Yes," he repeated. He chuckled. "You know everything already, Ms. Stackhouse. Just let him kill me. Tell him everything that you know and let me die."

She shook her head no. "I can't do that. It's not my place to ease your guilt or free your conscience. You did this and you now need to own it."

Andrew dropped his head. His shoulders were shaking. He knows his fate but he's afraid of what awaits him. He was going to try and milk this for what he could and I wasn't having it. I was done with being nice. He needed to speak and he needed to do it now. I lifted Andrew, and the chair since he was still tied to it, by his neck and glared into his eyes. "Your fate will be much worse than your friends if you don't tell me what I want to know. You recall what happened to him, do you not?"

Andrew whimpered as he nodded.

I squeezed his throat and said, "Speak."

"Okay," he whispered. "I'll tell you what you want to know. I give you my word. I will tell you everything."

I smiled as I put Andrew and his chair back on the floor. "Good boy." I patted him on the head and said, "Let us begin."


	36. Chapter 36

**My Sweet, Sweet Girl**

 **36**

 **Hello! I hope that y'all have had a great New Year and that it only gets better. Here is the next chapter and it's in Pam's POV. As always, I want to thank each of you for reading, reviewing, alerting, and making this story a favorite. The characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine.**

 **Oh, please enjoy!**

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"Good evening, Pam," Maxwell said to me as he descended the stairs. He had the gall to smile at me. "I hope that your meal was to your liking. She is a virgin and her blood had been sweetened just for you. She was given the freshest fruit and the sweetest honey. Nothing but the best for you. And if you're a good girl, a really good girl, you'll be able taste other parts of her." With a gloved hand, he opened the door to guide the girl from my prison cell. He stroked her cheek before watching her leave the room.

Since he's kidnapped me, Maxwell comes down here to visit with me every night. He doesn't have to but he sits with me until dawn. He talks to me about everything but why he's taken me from my home, my life, from my maker. Our conversations usually go the same every night. We talk about my meal and my behavior. And then he sits and waits. I wait for him to leave but that's just not my luck. He stays. He always stays.

I folded my hands and placed them on my lap. "She was quite delicious, Maxwell. A lot more delicious that I'd expected. It makes me wonder why you've been giving me five-star treatment when you plan on killing me." Shrugging my shoulders, I added, "Since I'm your prisoner, I'd assumed that you'd feed me drug riddled corpses or humans suffering from illnesses. Your treatment of me is quite surprising. And to taste other parts her would not be something that I'm interested in. I don't trust you."

As usual, he sat on the chair that sits in front of my cell. He glanced over his shoulder before answering me. "As I've told you, Pamela, for now, I want nothing to happen to you. If something happens to you before it's time, everything will be for naught. I've always held you in high regard. Even at this very moment, I still hold you in high regard. You are very valuable to me. Nothing can happen you. I told you that you would be safe and you will be safe." He shook his head as he crossed his legs. "That has not changed. You have my word."

I didn't believe him for a second but I said nothing. His word is a worthless as he is. I know why Maxwell visits me each night. I know why he sits in front of my cell and waits. He wants me to question him about what he's done and who's working with him to betray me and my maker. He's been itching to tell me why he's taken me but for some reason, he won't do it. He's in for a surprise because I won't give him the satisfaction of asking him why he's done what he's done. Instead of doing what he expected, I removed the remote from the nightstand and turned on the TV … or at least I tried to turn it on. It did not come on. I got up from the bed and slapped the flat screen of the TV. I looked at the wall outside of my cell and noticed that the TV was unplugged but I didn't react to it. "Hmm," I said. I shrugged my shoulders and said, "No Gordon Ramsey tonight." I put the remote back on the nightstand before getting back in bed. I looked at Maxwell and said, "I really like Gordon Ramsey. He's fucking hilarious. His attitude is quite exquisite and his tongue is quite sharp ... for a human."

Maxwell didn't reply. I could tell that he was frustrated with me for not questioning him but I didn't give a shit. I want to know why he's done what he's done but I like making him squirm and wonder why I don't want to know. I enjoy being petty. I'm really good at it and it makes me smile. "You irritate me, Pamela."

I smiled. "Whatever have I done?" I looked offended and appalled by his statement. "I have been a model prisoner. I've not argued with you. I've not ridiculed you in any way. I would think that you'd be proud considering I've never behaved so well. I would think that you would have a good report to send to your superior." I sighed in disappointment as I lay on my pillow. "I guess the old saying is true. You can't please assholes no matter how you try." I winked at him as I pulled the covers up over me and snuggled deep into my pillow. I'd tucked the stack that I'd made from the right side of my bed; which was now propped up on a stack of books, under my gown. "I don't know what you want from me. I have been a very good girl. I've stayed in my cell; not that I've had much of a choice, like I'm supposed to. I haven't maimed or killed any of my meals. I'm at a loss when it comes to you." I shook my head in displeasure. "You confuse me, Maxwell."

He cocked his head to the side as he looked at me. "What you said bothers me."

My eyes widened. "What did I say that bothers the all-powerful Maxwell Lee?"

He closed his eyes and sighed. I guess I was beginning to get to him … it's about that time. He's been down here a little too long for my liking. "Why do you believe that I have a superior? Why couldn't this plan have been my idea?"

I laughed at him. I didn't have to laugh as long and as loud as I did but I did. As I said, I'm petty and it makes me happy. Once my loud and obnoxious laughter had subsided, I said, "Because I'm here, Maxwell. I know for a fact that you don't have the brain power or the nerve to betray Eric as you have. Someone else is in charge. You are the lackey. I can damn well guarantee it."

He shifted in his seat. "And you say this because …"

I pointed at him and said, "Because it's you, Maxwell. You are weak. And I don't mean your age. Your age gives you much strength but as far as brain power goes, this isn't you. You were used because of the relationship that you had with me and Eric. You were on the inside. That's the only reason you're a part of this fiasco. You didn't plan this but that's okay. We'll find out soon enough who's truly behind this." I removed my emery board from the nightstand and began to shape my fingernails. I glanced at him through hooded eyes. "We know that it's not you."

Though he was infuriated by my words, he chuckled. "You are a true woman, Pamela. You must be in control of all situations. Your words are nothing more than a way to upset me. It did not work."

I blew the fingernail dust from my fingertips as I looked at him and smiled. "Liar." I placed the emery board back on the side table before running my hands over the silkiness of the comforter. I looked at Maxwell as I spoke. "And you are wrong once again, Maxwell. I'm not in control. If I were, I wouldn't be here. I'm in a silver cage. Though it's filled with everything that I could possibly need, I'm still in a silver cage. Because I've been kidnapped by a vampire that I'd once considered a friend and because I trusted you, I allowed you to take what bit of control that I had away. I haven't been in control for quite some time." And it will never happen again.

He full on laughed this time. "I like you better when you're your true self. Welcome back, Pamela."

"Maxwell, I never left."

"Ask me, Pamela."

"No." Again, I smiled.

"Why?" he asked as he cocked his head to the side. "Why don't you want to know?"

This time I laughed. I sat up in bed and stared in his eyes. "Because it doesn't matter. Nothing that you've done since kidnapping me matters. You this as well as I do. You won't live through this. You may not even make it to the end of this awful plan. He's going to kill you. He's going to kill each of you. Anyone that had anything to do with this plan is going to die. So, whatever your reasons are, they don't matter, Maxwell. In other words, I don't give a fuck."

Maxwell leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Your maker is an amazing vampire. He's loyal, intelligent, fair, and very powerful. He's always been those things. Those traits are what makes him an amazing adversary." He glanced up at me before looking down at the floor. "I have always admired him. I used to consider him my friend many years ago." He began to smile. "Eric and I have had many adventures. We have traveled all over the world, the three of us. We had great times. During those years, I got to know your maker. Yeah," he whispered. "He was one of the great ones."

I glared him. "That's exactly what he considered you to be ... a friend. Though you have never had the same qualities as my maker, he considered you to be someone that he could trust but you fooled us. You fooled us all, didn't you?"

He looked up at me and nodded. "You're right. I did but that doesn't mean that I don't admire and respect him."

Now, that really made me laugh. "Respect? You respect him? Do you even know what that fucking means? You've killed our most trusted and loyal vampires and Weres. You killed humans that had worked for me for many years. Vampires, Weres, and humans that trusted you and looked up to you. I am locked in a fucking cage and you say that you respect him? Fuck you, you fucking coward."

He leaned back and crossed his legs once more. "There she is. That's my girl. That's the Pamela that I've been waiting to see." He began to clap his hands and laugh. "There's the defiant bitch that I've grown to love."

His laughter and malcontent angered me beyond reason. My hatred for him filled me to epic proportions but I remained calm. Giving him an icy glare, I smiled. "You're so weak, Maxwell. Instead of having the balls to tell my why you've done what you've done, you believe that your words will break me. You believe that forcing your company on me is going to make me ask you." I chuckled. "That is why I say that you did not come up with this plan. You may leave. You don't have to stay until dawn. Go but before you do, fix my fucking TV. I want to watch Gordon Ramsey."

Maxwell eyed me angrily. "He destroyed me," he whispered.

I broke him. Just as I said, weak.

Smiling, I asked, "Who?"

His fangs snapped into place.

I continued to smile as I waited for him to explain how my maker, the vampire that Maxwell claims to admire and respect, destroyed him.

"Everything that I've ever loved, he took from me." Maxwell's eyes were filled with hate and pain. "You maker isn't the vampire that you believe him to be. He's destroyed many lives, taken many lives and he holds no responsibility for what he's done but he will. He's going to pay for his misdeeds." He glanced over his shoulder once more and whispered, "He owes me a life for the one that he'd taken from me … for the one that he destroyed."

I stood from the bed and quickly made my way to stand before the silver bars. "My maker has always been a vampire of great honor. He's never betrayed anyone in his life, human or vampire. You'd do well to know this, Maxwell. Acknowledge that he's been more than a friend to you. He saved your worthless fucking life. He lost a fucking limb for you, you piece of shit. If not for him, your useless life would have ended centuries ago." I stood closer to bars. I could feel the heat radiating from them but I didn't budge. "You're the betrayer … the destroyer. You're a vampire of very weak character to have done what you've done to Eric after all that he's done for you but know this, Maxwell. You will pay for your sins with your fucking life."

Maxwell stood from his chair and glared at me. I could say that he wanted to pull me close to the bars and burn my gorgeous face but he didn't do it. He was afraid and that made me wonder. Instead of reaching out to hurt me, he tugged at the sleeves of his leather jacket. Whispering once again, he said, "I'm going to kill you when the time is right. And when I do, I want your brother to see."

Shit.

The wind was knocked out of me; though there was no wind in me. I sat on the bed and let his revelation roll through me. How did he find out? Eric and I have always been careful when it comes to our family secret. No one is supposed to know what we are to each other. I looked at Maxwell and said, "I don't know what you mean."

He laughed as he returned to his seat. "Don't try and play me for a fool. I'm very observant, Pamela. I've been with you and Eric for centuries. You, you two shared a room and yes you two would hold hands. I've even seen Eric kiss you on the lips but very lightly and always on the corner of your mouth. He's never kissed you as he's kissed the many women that have been in and out of his life. The way that he's always been protective of you." He waved his hand back and forth. "I know that all makers are protective of their children but Eric has always gone above and beyond for you. It never made sense to me. I'd often wondered why he never released you as most makers do with their children."

I frowned at Maxwell's pathetic reasons. "Your reasons are utter nonsense. They prove nothing."

"I have proof … two forms of proof as a matter of fact." He reached into his pocket and removed a recorder. When he pressed play, the voices on the recorder belonged to me and Eric. He was fussing at me for the attitude I'd given him about the bodyguards. I didn't want them living in my house. This was the night the vampires and Weres were supposed to patrolling the grounds. No one was supposed to be in the house but me and Eric. We checked before we started speaking.

" _You will do as you've been told, Pam. Your safety is at stake and I will not put you in danger. I promised Mother that I'd find you and once I did, I'd keep you safe. You will not let me break a promise to her."_

" _You've taught me well. I am more than capable when it comes to taking care of myself. You've made sure, in more ways than one, that you won't break the promise to Mother. I can take care of myself, Eric. I will be fine if you'd just let me. You don't have to continue to coddle me. Let me live my life just as you need to live yours."_ I remember placing my hand on his cheek. _"I'm going to be fine, Brother. You can't keep putting your life on hold for me. I've seen how you look at her. You should be happy, Eric. You can have a life without me in it."_

" _I will not have a life without you in it. You are my sister. You are my family._ _She is no more than an employee. She is with me because I'm obligated to keep her safe. There's nothing more to our relationship. Women come and go. You are of my blood."_

I smiled at him when he told that lie and I called him on it. _"You are such a liar, Eric, but I understand your reasons for the lie." I sighed. "Though I don't agree with it, I will do as you have asked of me."_

I closed my eyes and smiled as I remembered my brother wrapping me in his arms. My heart sank as Maxwell relished in the knowledge that he knows our secret but I remained calm. I didn't let him know that he'd shaken me to my core. I wouldn't give that asshole the satisfaction. Still smiling when I opened my eyes, I said, "I guess the secret's out. I'm not surprised that you spied on us considering what you've done. Eric and I were supposed to be alone when we had that conversation. We checked the house to be sure that we were alone. I can only assume that you had my home bugged."

He nodded as he said, "You have assumed correctly but it's okay." He waved the recorder back and forth. "It's always nice when a brother and sister have such a loving relationship. Plus, I got some really good information on here." He patted his pocket as he put the recorder back in his pocket.

Cocking my head to the side, I repeated, "You bugged my home."

"You're stuck on semantics when they don't matter." He stood up from his chair and stretched. He sighed as he tugged at his jacket. "I must be going. I have things to do and people to see. A vampire's work is never done. I can assume that you'll be staying in this evening?"

"Fuck you, Maxwell."

He laughed as he began to walk away.

"Maxwell?" I called out to him.

"Yes, Pamela?" he replied as he glanced at me over his shoulder.

"Why would my death make you even with Eric? What do you believe he's done to you?"

His eyes were deadly and empty as he turned to face me. "Your maker took something that belonged to me. As I said, he owes me a life for the one that he destroyed. And I promise, Pamela, I will get what's owed to me."

I returned his stare. I let him see the fury and hate in my eyes. He heard the anger and wrath in my voice. "Do you think that you're going to beat him? Break him? You know nothing of what my brother has been through in his life. He has endured beatings. He's been starved. He's been through things worse than anything you'll ever imagine. What he's suffered through, would've kill the likes of you. You taking me? That's nothing to us. This isn't the first time that Eric has had to search for me. It took him years to find me but he did. He saved me. He found me then and he will find me now. I promise that when he does, your wretched life will be his. You will die by his hand and when you do, you will realize that whatever he took from you, you didn't deserve to have. You will see that whatever you lost, you lost because of your cowardice. You lost it because you weren't brave enough to claim what was yours."

He stormed towards my cell and bellowed, "I am no coward!"

"Own what you are," I calmly replied. "You didn't confront Eric about your hurt feelings. He's not in this cage. I am. So, yes, you **are** a coward. You've lived as one and you will die as one."

He'd reached for his key. Hell, he'd gone so far as to put it in the lock. I heard the door to the cellar open and hoped that Maxwell would get the door open before whomever it was came downstairs. I was going to kill him and make my way home before the dawn but sadly, that didn't happen.

"Can't you see what she's doing? She's playing you for the fool that you are." He was standing in the shadows as he spoke. "I forgave you for the busted lip and black eye that she had you brought her to me but you touch her again, I will chop off your fucking arms. No harm will come to her. Not in this life."

Maxwell quickly moved away from the door and fell to his knees out of fear. I almost didn't notice it.

I dropped to my knees when I heard that voice. My heart sank to my feet. My body shook from fear. My blood ran cold. I hadn't heard that voice since I was thirteen years old. Eric has always told me that Mother had him killed. The townspeople of a village that he was trying to pillage and plunder killed him. He's supposed to be long dead. He's not supposed to be here. And then it dawned on me. Maxwell's second piece of proof.

" _Hej, Pamela_." (Hello, Pamela.)

I looked down at the ground as terror filled me. " _Hej, Far_." (Hello, Father.)

He stood in front my cage and said, " _Min söta, söta tjej_." (My sweet, sweet, girl.)


	37. Chapter 37

**37**

 **The Second Half of the Interrogation**

 **Hello, everyone! I hope that y'all are doing well. As for me, I'm in the south, sitting in my home and I'm iced in. And that, my dear readers, has given me the chance to work on my story. I hope that y'all enjoy it. I'd also like to thank each of you for alerting, favoriting, reading, and reviewing.**

 **S/N: For those of you that don't remember what's going on with Eric, Pam, and Appius, reread chapter 32. It will clear up the confusion about the relationship between them.**

 **As always, the characters aren't mine but the story idea is! Enjoy!**

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I couldn't get Andrew to answer any of my questions because he couldn't take his eyes off Eric. The fear that filled him was intriguing. Though I wanted to know what Eric had done to Andrew's friend, I was too afraid to look. If what Eric had done to Andrew's friend made him react like this, I didn't want to see or know … I think. It had to have been awful. The man was practically shaking out of his shoes. He was absolutely terrified of what happened. He was afraid that it was going to happen to him. There's no way that I can get what we need out of him with Eric looming over us. "Eric, can you leave me alone with him? I can't get anything out of him if you're going to be giving him the death stare the entire time. You're making it harder than it has to be."

"No," he answered. "I am not leaving but I will remain calm and put a smile on my face; though I don't agree with it. He should be afraid after what he's done. He _needs_ to be afraid." The smile that was supposed to be on his face was nonexistent. He didn't even try to smile. He continued to glare at Andrew.

I couldn't argue with him. Though I didn't like it, he was right. Andrew needed to know what was going to happen if he's not truthful. I sighed and gave my attention back to Andrew. "You have to tell Eric everything that he wants to know. I'm not going to lie to you. You won't make it out of here alive. You _will_ die tonight. Either Eric or Thalia, that beautiful vampiress right there, will be the one to kill you." I leaned forward a little and said, "Hopefully, it'll be just one of them and not both. That's not something that you'd want to have happen."

Andrew was petrified. His face was so wet that it was hard to tell if he was sweating or crying.

I reached out and took his hand in mine as I talked to him. "If you lie, you won't die quickly. You saw what happened to your friend. Your death will be much worse. You tell the truth, it will be quick." I glanced up to see what Eric's reaction was. He didn't have one. "You don't want it to linger do you … your death? You want to be honest with him, right? You want to tell him everything that you know. No lies. No holding back."

Andrew nodded and then shook his head.

"I get it," I said as I gave his hands a gentle squeeze before letting them go. "Good. Just remember, I've read your mind. If you lie, I'll know it and I will tell him. Are we clear?"

Eric's fangs clicked in place as he placed his hand on my shoulder. I guess my strong and forceful attitude turned him on. Mental note: _Get forceful with Eric when I want something_.

Andrew nodded his head. "I will do what you ask but can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

In a meek voice, he asked, "How can you work for them willingly … knowing what they are … what they do? How can you betray your own kind? You're telling me that they are going to kill me and you don't seem to care. Why would you do that?"

I crossed my legs and leaned back in my seat. "You don't understand, Andrew," I began. "I'm not your kind. I don't kidnap people for money. I don't kill innocent people for money. Don't ever think of us, me and you, as being the same kind. I'm nothing like you. Money can't make me betray my friends and my family. Now, tell us what we want to know. Tell us how you met Quinn and Maxwell Lee."

When I mentioned Maxwell's name, Andrew looked surprised. His mind was soon filled with the same shame that he tried to force on me only seconds ago. "Quinn and I worked together for this company called Extreme(ly) Elegant Events. He was the owner of the company and I worked security … me and a few of my other associates. After Quinn sold the company to some vampire in Michigan, we all went our separate ways. I got a job working security for a vampire in California. I'd been working for the guy for like three years when Quinn began working for him." He chuckled. "He was always real cool, ya know? Bringing coffee. Covering your shifts if you needed to be off to take the wife on a date or some school play that the kids had to be in." The chuckling was soon a distant memory. He began to shake his head as he glanced up at me. "I never knew that it would cost me my life. I'd always assumed that my life was worth more than a large decaf, soy latte and a couple of shifts."

I dipped into his head and he was speaking the truth. He honestly believed that Quinn was his friend. He thought that Quinn brought the guys T-bone steaks and baked potatoes out of the kindness of his heart. The beers and good times after work, they were nothing more than a group of friends just hanging out. They were supposed be nothing but good times with good friends.

"And then he offered me a side job," Andrew continued. "When he offered it to me, I didn't know what it was." He began to shake his head. "After he told me what he wanted me to do, I said no but so did the other guys." He looked in my eyes and said, "They went missing. They had family members that had been hurt or had gone missing. Never heard from again … any of 'em. I didn't want that to happen to me or my family."

"When he took your daughters from school, that's when you realized that you couldn't say no."

He nodded. "Yeah. Abby and Jecca … my twins. They're six." He quickly swiped at his eyes. "Quinn told me that I'd make a nice chunk of change if I took the job and shut my mouth. I could stash it away for my family. I could make sure that they had everything that they could ever want in this life. As I said, it didn't matter that I didn't want to do it. When he took my girls, I would have done whatever he told me to do." He sighed as he closed his eyes for a brief second. "When he brought them home from school, I knew that I had no choice. He said that it was his way of letting me know that he could get to them whenever he wanted. You should've seen the way he was stroking Jecca's hair or touching Abby's back." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Sending them away didn't work either."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I sent them to stay with my sister in Virginia … my wife and my girls. I figured if they were with my sister and her husband, they'd be safe. He's a former Navy Seal, you know? Safe. He could have protected them from the things that go bump in the night … and the day."

I nodded. "Just like you. You two served together."

"Yeah," he whispered.

"And they still weren't safe."

As he shook his head, he said, "No. I was wrong. He sent me pictures of them at my mom's house having dinner one night. My entire family was at my mom's house for Sunday dinner and he knew it. He sent pictures to me. He said that he wanted to let me know that there was nowhere that I could send them or where they could hide. He knew their entire schedule. Every single person in my family … he knew everything about them." He pulled out his cell phone and unlocked it before handing it to me. "Scroll through the pictures. You'll see images of my family. Pictures that he sent me."

And he was right. It was easy to tell that Quinn was standing outside taking the pictures. Quinn didn't give him much of a choice when it came to working for him. After what Quinn tried to do to me, I'm pretty sure he would've done much worse to Andrew's family. I passed the phone to Eric. "We'll need the password to your phone. Eric needs to access your contacts."

Andrew rattled off the pin number.

Eric passed the phone off to Thalia. Seconds later, she was gone. Eric was still standing next to me.

"Maxwell Lee," I began. "When did you meet him?"

"A couple of days after I was forced to work for them," he answered. "I only met him once. He told me what he wanted me to do and I did it." Andrew leaned forward and said, "They threatened my family. My entire family. I wasn't given a choice. What was I supposed to do? I didn't have anyone to turn to."

Now, that I didn't believe. This time, I leaned forward as I questioned him. "Did you all plan what you were going to do?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever meet Pam … once, twice?"

"Several times," he whispered.

"Were you ever alone with her?"

He considered lying but realized that it would be futile. He nodded.

"Did you ever meet any of the others that were employed by her?"

He squeezed his eyes closed and nodded, yet again.

I returned my previous position but this time with my arms crossed over my chest. "So, you did have someone to turn to." I was done with the questions for now. "You could've sent Pam a message. You could've written a note and slipped it to her or tucked it in place where she would've found it. You could've told one of the Weres that you knew wasn't a part of the plan. There was a lot that you could've done to stop what happened but you did nothing." I could see that he'd never considered any of what I'd said and he was about to tell me why.

"My family's safety was at stake. Quinn was always around. Maxwell Lee, he …"

"Slept during the day," I finished. "And Quinn wasn't always around. He wasn't always following you. You said so yourself. You said that he was watching your family. I get that Quinn wasn't acting alone. He probably had a few people watching you and your family but you had chances to stop what happened. You could've made calls or sent text messages." Using my thumb, I pointed in the direction of the door. "You obviously got to keep your phone. I'm certain that if you'd gone to Eric and Pam with this type of information, they would've protected you and your family. Each of you would be safe. You wouldn't have to die tonight. You would be safe and at home with your family. Instead you are here. You had choices, Andrew."

Tears rolled over his cheeks as he nodded. "You're right."

He glared at Andrew as I asked my next question. "The person that Maxwell Lee is working for, is he a king … someone important?"

He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just know that he's old and powerful." Then something flashed in his eyes. "I do know that Maxwell's afraid of him. He does nothing without that vampire's say so. That's what Quinn said."

Eric took a step closer to Andrew and asked, "Is he the reason Pam's still alive?"

"I don't know for sure, but I think so," Andrew answered. "I just know that she wasn't supposed to be hurt. Nothing was supposed to happen to her but Maxwell beat her up pretty bad before taking her to head guy. One of the guys told me that he looked to have had the shit beaten out of him."

Eric's growl filled the room.

Andrew scooted his chair away from Eric. "I know she's a vampire and all but he didn't have to beat her like he did. From what I heard, he was punished for hurting her."

"Are the guys that helped you still alive?"

He nodded.

"We need their names."

"There's only four of us left. Ted Graham, Michael Sheringham, Shawn Putman, and Kenny Gardner."

I looked up at Eric and he nodded. He had set the names to memory. I suddenly glanced up at Eric. Anger and terror filled him. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. I knew not to say anything so I continued questioning Andrew. "Where is she?"

"I don't know."

Eric was about to do something more to Andrew but I stopped him. "He's telling the truth, Eric." I placed my hand on his arm and said, "You promised me. Don't do this here. Not in front of me."

He gave me quick nod as he calmed himself down.

Andrew took that moment to mean that he may somehow get away with what he'd done. "Hey," he began. "I get it. I know that you don't want to do this to me and you don't have to."

I wondered to myself what vampire he was hallucinating about. Eric wanted nothing more than to kill him but hey, it was none of my business. I kept my mouth shut and let him keep talking.

"Maybe you can let me go." Andrew looked up at Eric. His eyes were filled with false hope. "Maybe you can send me and my family away. I never had any of Maxwell's blood. I know what it means when you take a vampire's blood. I never had any of it. Not once. I always reported to Quinn until that night. He never showed up so we had to meet up with Maxwell." He then nodded at me as he made his plea. "So, yeah, I met him twice. Just twice but it doesn't matter. He will never find me or my family. We'll never come back to Louisiana. You'll never see us again."

"It's not my decision."

"I'd only met him twice." His face suddenly went blank. "The second time was that night … when we … when we did what we did. But I give you my word," he said as he looked up at Eric. "I will never do anything like that again. I will never hurt anyone again. I swear. Please, give me a chance to prove it. I only need one chance." An out of place smile appeared on his face. He knew just as well as I did that he was not going to walk out of this room alive.

Angrily, Eric asked, "Are you saying that your family is more important than mine?"

Andrew shook his head no. "I'm not saying that at all. I'd never say that."

 _But you did_ , I wanted to say. That's why he made the decision to do Maxwell's and Quinn's bidding. That's why Pam's gone and his wife and children are at home.

I took Eric's hand in mine as he talked. "I will _not_ let you go. Pam is my family. Those humans that were with her, they were her friends. They were people that she depended on. They were a part of her family. They'd been with her for many, many years. She treated them like family. She protected them as best she could and you took them away from her. The vampires … Heidi, Clancy, Charles … the Weres, they were very loyal friends of ours." Pointing at Andrew, he said, "You took away my family. No, Andrew, you will not leave this room alive." He then looked at me and said, "I cannot let him go."

"I know." My grip tightened on his hand. I looked at Andrew. "Your family," I said. "Where are they? Are they safe now?"

He nodded. "Yeah. After the job was done, my family was left alone. Hell, a couple of days before the job was done, they were safe. I hadn't seen Quinn or heard from him."

Because I'd killed him. You're welcome.

"And you still said nothing," I whispered.

He heard me. My words seemed to have hit him hard. He looked up at Eric and said, "I'm sorry for what I did. I truly am. You can take my life. I owe it to you. I've taken innocent lives. I have no honor." He nodded and repeated, "I have no honor."

Eric said nothing. His apology was useless.

Looking up at Eric, I asked, "Do you have a slip of paper? We need his address."

"No paper needed, "he replied. "I'll remember."

I looked at Andrew and said, "I'll check in on your family to be sure that they're safe. If we see anyone around them, we'll protect them. They shouldn't have to pay for what you've done."

Andrew provided us his address without any extra prodding. "I didn't know what the job was until …"

Eric glared down at the man. "But you knew after and did nothing to stop it." To me he said, "Go to my office and wait for me."

I stood up to leave but stopped. "Andrew, I have a few more questions for you."

"Whatever you need," he mumbled.

"Do you know Dawn Greene?"

He nodded.

"She was Maxwell's girl from what she said." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know how true it was but it was the rumor. I'd also heard that she was well known with a lot of men."

"Were there any other vampires or Weres involved with what happened?" I asked.

Again, he nodded. "Yeah. A vampire called Jonathan. I can't think of any Weres that were involved though."

Eric and I looked at each other. It dawned on me that Jonathan wasn't among the finally dead vampires from that night. I couldn't help but wonder where he was. "One more question," I said. "Have you ever heard of a town called Bon Temps? Dawn mentioned it once and I wanted to know what significance it has to what happened and what's going on."

"We have contacts that live there."

"Contacts?" I stepped closer to Andrew. "You mean there's more than one?"

"Yeah," he answered.

My shoulders tightened. "Do you know their names?"

He shook his head no. "She never gave their names. I know that one of them has met with Quinn. I don't know his name but I do know that he's supposedly well known in Bon Temps."

I looked up at Eric with wide eyes. That surprised me. I'd assumed that their only contact was my mom. "It's a guy?"

"Yeah."

"And you've never seen him?"

"No."

I dipped into his head once more and he was telling the truth. He hasn't lied about anything … well, other than about the amount of times he'd met Maxwell. He's been the most honest traitor we've come across since this whole thing started. I sighed as I looked down at Andrew. I offered him my hand and he took it. "Thank you for helping us and being honest about what you'd done and I give you my word. I'll meet with your family to make sure that they're okay. Is there anything that you want to tell them?"

He smiled and said, "Tell Mellie that I love her. My daughters, tell them that I love them. Tell her that there's a safety deposit box key in the gun case. It's on the top shelf and in the box with the shotgun shells … the blue ones. The money is at our bank. Tell her to show them the key and to give them the password." He began to cry. "It's her name. Will you do that for me?"

"I will." Just as I turned to walk away, I stopped myself. "Who helped Barry get into the meeting the other night? At the Longtooth pack meeting? Do you know who did that … who the contact is?"

He looked lost. "What? I don't know Barry or any Longtooth pack."

The confused and blank stare on his face told me that he had no idea what I meant. Smiling, I said, "Never mind." I patted him on the shoulder before leaving the room. To Eric, I said, "I'll meet you in your office." And as I walked away, an eerie feeling crept over my spine. I didn't want to leave and it had nothing to do with Eric. I wanted to stay and watch.

That scared me to my very soul.


	38. Chapter 38

**The Rest and More**

 **I apologize for the delay in posting but my job has been quite hectic lately but I give you my word, I will not stop writing this story until it is done. As always, thank each of you for reading, reviewing, making this story a favorite, and alerting for each chapter. I hope that y'all enjoy it. The story idea is mine but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

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Eric came into his office an hour later, freshly showered and smelling intoxicatingly sinful. "I see that you've showered. It must have been quite bloody." I swallowed as I briefly closed my eyes and exhaled. "Is he dead?" I asked as he sat next to me. "Or is he still alive?"

"Not yet," he answered. "Thalia is still having her way with him." He stared at the side of my face. "Are you upset about it?"

"No," I answered truthfully. "What's happening to him is his own doing. He had choices. Eric, while we were questioning him, I noticed that something went through you … panic or fear. What happened? When you shivered … what happened? Was it Pam?"

"It was."

I nodded as I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. "I figured as much." I braced myself before asking my next question. "Is she still here? In this world? Alive?" I glanced to the left of me and waited for his response.

"She is but she's not afraid. She's petrified."

I turned to face him head on. "What do you mean?"

He looked into my eyes. "Something has happened to her or something has terrified her to the point of pure fear. And once again," he began. "I'm not there to help her. She needs me and I'm not there. There's nothing that I can do to get to her when she needs me the most."

I frowned as I turned face him head on. "But there is and we're doing it. You're doing all that you can. We have your friends and the king of Louisiana is helping us. We are going to beat them at their game, Eric. You know this just as well as I do. We're going to get her back and your world will be perfect again." I bumped his shoulder. "You do believe me, don't you?"

He smiled. "I do." A look soon appeared on his face.

"What?"

"I'm going to tell you the rest of the story." He was soon leaning against his desk with his arms crossed over his chest. "When I found her, she was surrounded by men and she was fighting." That revelation brought a smile to his face. "She'd given those men busted eyes and lips. Scratches to their faces. Balls had been busted … literally busted. The fronts of their pants were covered in blood. She'd cut into their flesh. My sister was fighting for her life." A dark cloud soon replaced the smile. "As bad as they looked, she looked even worse. I killed them all."

I didn't realize that my mouth was hanging open until I began to speak. "Did she feel safe once they were dead?"

He shook his head no. "She blamed me."

* * *

 **Finding Pam**

 _Eric handed the man the money. "You're sure she's in there."_

 _The man nodded as he tucked the envelope of money into his inside coat pocket. "She's in there. She never leaves that house without him in tow." He began to shake his head no. "He never leaves her alone. She's worth too much for him to let her go out alone."_

 _Eric's face became even harder. "Worth?"_

 _The man shoved his hands in his pockets. "He sells her."_

 _Eric stomped away from the man walked towards the house._

" _Go around back!" the man yelled as Eric faded from view. "They're in the basement!"_

 _And that's what he did. When Eric went inside, he could hear men cheering. He could hear his sister yelling out at them. When he had her in his sights, she was surrounded by men … tears streaming over her bruised and battered face. Though they were bloodied and beaten, they were still stalking towards her. Except for the ones with the busted balls. They were already on the floor writhing in pain and filled with humiliation. If the scene hadn't sickened him, he would have laughed at them. He would've given his sister her well-deserved praise but there was no time for that._

 _After he'd killed them, Pam had a look of pure relief on her face. She, too, almost laughed at the fate of the now dead animals. The look didn't last for long. She glared at her brother as she looked up at him. When he reached for her, she slapped his hand away. "Where have you been?"_

 _Placing his hand back to his side, he replied, "Looking for you."_

 _She shook her head no. "If you were looking for me, you would have found me." Her eyes were soon filled with rage. "If you'd been looking for me, you would know that I was being passed around to every man in every village we've been in. You'd have heard about the girl that has been sold to the highest bidder a hundred times over." She glared at her brother. "You weren't looking for me or you would have found me."_

 _Still holding his sister's gaze, Eric answered, "When I would find where you were, you would be gone." He took a step towards his sister. "I have been looking for you for years. I never stopped. You are my sister, Pamela."_

 _She didn't speak. She only stared. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that he'd never stopped looking for her but, how could she? The man that she'd loved had sold her. Her father. He'd told her that her mom and Eric agreed with sending her away. There was no room for her in their lives anymore. He made her believe that their time as a family was all a lie. They were playing games with her. They never loved her. He never loved her. She told him that Eric would come for her. He laughed at her. After so much time had passed, she believed him. No one came for her. Her brother, her hero, the man that always kept her protected, had abandoned her. Why should she believe Eric now? It's been ten years._

 _Because she didn't step away from him, Eric smiled at her. "I'm here to take you home with me. You're going to be with me now. I'm going to take care of you and no one will ever hurt you again."_

 _Her small hand gripped the knife that she'd been holding. "Take care of me?" she asked mockingly, her voice trembling as she spoke. "Take care of me? I've been here for years waiting for you to find me. To take me home but you never came. Appius told me that you wouldn't come and you didn't come. You and mother abandoned me to this life and you want me to believe that you're going to take care of me?" Soon, the tremble was gone and her back had straightened. "I needed you then. I don't need you now."_

" _Pamela!" a voice bellowed from behind them._

 _Her body slumped back down to nothing. "I'm here." The tremble had returned to her voice._

 _Eric turned to see the man that had misused his beloved sister in the worst ways. He was the man that participated in taking her away from the people that love her the most. The man that he'd been aching to kill snice learning of his identity._

 _With a frown on his face, he looked at Eric. "Who the fuck are you and what have you done?" He looked at the dead bodies that were strewn at Eric's feet. "They wanted time with her and you have killed them! You've killed them and they didn't even pay me! You owe me their fee!"_

" _I owe you death," Eric answered. He gripped the man's head in between his hands and squeezed until there was nothing left. With the man's skull and brains still on hands, he turned to Pam and said, "We never abandoned you. We have always been looking for you. I have never lied to you, Pamela, and would not lie to you now."_

 _She wondered how her brother crushed the man's head with his bare hands but said nothing. She was just glad he was dead and she was glad that her brother found her. And, she believed him. She cried as she stared at her brother. "Where have you been?"_

" _I'm so sorry."_

 _She stepped into her brother's arms and held onto him for dear life. She cried as the years of abuse came to an end. She was finally free. She was finally going to get to go home. "I knew that he was lying! I knew it!"_

 _He kissed the top her head as he kept his hands at his sides. He couldn't get blood and brains on his sister. "I've been to every village that you'd been to. Each time I'd get close, you'd be gone. I've spent the last few years looking for you. I promised mother that I'd find you and that I'd take care of you." He closed his eyes and whispered, "I've found you."_

 _She was soon out of his arms and smiling up at him. "Mother is with you?"_

 _Eric slowly shook his head no._

 _Pam knew then that their mother was dead. She could see it in Eric's eyes. She didn't want to believe it. She wanted to see her and tell her that she's sorry for being angry with her all these years. She wanted to tell her that she's sorry for believing Appius' lies. She then shook her head no. Eric could be mistaken since he's been looking for her. He wouldn't know how she's doing if he's been travelling. Her mother could be at home waiting for their return. "Is she at home?"_

" _She is not."_

 _She had to believe it now but she couldn't say those words. She couldn't let those words pass her lips. "Where is she?" she whispered._

" _She is gone."_

 _Hearing those words hurt her more than she could have ever imagined. Pam's agonizing screams filled the air. Her mother did love her and did want her to come home. Her mother, after Eric, was her most favorite person and now, she's gone. Her head hung low as she asked, "Did she suffer?"_

 _Eric remained quiet. He didn't want to tell her what happened to their mother. He couldn't bear to tell her that she'd suffered in death just as she had in life. He wanted Pam to keep the happy memories of their mother; the singing, the dancing, the baking and the laughter. He wanted his sister to remember the sweet, soothing tones of their mother's voice when she told them stories of the Valkyrie and of Valhalla. The melodic tones of her laughter. He did what he'd never done before when it came to Pam. He lied to her. Smiling, he said, "She did not."_

 _Pam stared up at her brother and sighed. She didn't believe him but she never let on. "You came for me." Without warning, she placed her hands on his face. "You saved me."_

 _He nodded. "I'm going to take you home and I'm going to take care of you. You will always be with me."_

 _A slow realization hit her. She removed her hands from his face and looked at them before returning her gaze to him. "You're so cold."_

" _Yes."_

 _She reached out and touched the back of his hand. "I remember touching grandmother's hand when she died of fever. She was cold … like you." She swallowed deeply and asked, "Are you dead? Are you a vampire?"_

" _Yes."_

 _She continued to stare at her brother as she cried for him. The most unimaginable things began to go through her mind. She knew how cruel Appius could be. She'd seen his cruelty, his viciousness. After being sold, she'd been at the receiving end of it. She knew firsthand of the evil things he'd done to her … to her brother. The torture that their father put Eric through had finally killed him. She could only imagine the pain that he'd felt as he lay dying. She felt pity for a moment but it soon faded away and was replaced with gratefulness. She was grateful to the vampire that brought her brother back to this life. It's because of him or her that he could find her. She reached out and caressed her brother's cheek. "It doesn't matter." She smiled through tears. "You found me."_

 _Eric no longer cared about the blood and brain matter that covered his hands. They held each other for what felt like seconds and the security of being with other would have carried on if Eric hadn't heard the voices of unwanted guests. Lifting Pam in his arms, he carried her out of the dungeon and into the night. With very little warning, he said, "Wrap your arms around my neck."_

 _She'd barely done what he'd ordered and they were soon soaring through the night air. She buried her face in her brother's chest and smiled. "I'm free."_

* * *

"I made her my child a couple of months later," he said as he returned to the couch and sat next to me.

"Why not that night?" I asked. "Why not turn her that night?"

He shook his head no as he rested his elbows on his knees. "I couldn't do that. She needed to think about it. I wanted to make sure that it was something that she'd want to do. Don't get me wrong. She wasn't angry. Not anymore. She loves me and she trusts me. I knew that she wanted this life but I couldn't do it. Not so soon." He glanced at me and said, "I had to give her the choice."

"Were you afraid that she'd want you to let her go?"

"I was," he admitted. "She had every reason to believe that no one was looking for her … that I wasn't looking for her. So, yes. I expected her to want to leave. She didn't know what would be in store for her. She believed that she'd never come home."

"But she did and you saved her," I replied. I leaned in and kissed his cheek. "You saved her, Eric."

He sighed. "Too late."

"No," I said. "It wasn't too late. You brought her home and you gave her a life that anyone would be lucky to have. You've done all that you can, Eric. You're an amazing person."

He outright laughed. "Vampire. I am no person, Sookie."

"Pshaw," I said. "I know some humans that are vampires. They'll suck the very life out of ya. I grew up around some of 'em. So, when I say that you're an amazing person, I mean it. You may not see it but there's good in you, at least I think so. I see it."

He looked at me and said, "You're an amazing creature, Sookie Stackhouse." He reached out and caressed my cheek. "What is it about you? Why are you so accepting … so open? You're too good for this world, human and supernatural alike."

"It's the essential spark," I answered. I didn't know until that moment but that must be it. "That's what I was going to tell you the night we visited the king. My grandpa says there's this light in me that no other fae has. He said that it makes me attractive to others in the supernatural world. According to him, it has nothing to do with my looks. I guess it's how I see the world. I believe that there's good in almost everyone and everything. I help people see that it's not all bad. Some people. Gran thinks that I get it from her and I agree. I can't wait for you to meet her."

"I can't wait to meet her," he said. "Essential spark. I can see that. You're everything beautiful in this ugly world. I'm glad that we found each other."

"Me too." I dropped my head as a blush began to creep up my face.

He gently lifted my face to his and began kissing me. I know. Not the most romantic moment but it happened. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as the kiss deepened. His fingers trailed down my neck and over my shoulder. His lips were soon nibbling at my ear. "Please," I whispered as I held onto him.

He lay me back on the couch and hovered over me as he smiled. His kisses were light and so soft that I almost didn't feel them. His arm was wrapped around my waist, diminishing whatever space there was between us to nothing. His erection was pressed against me as he smiled against my cheek. "Please, what, Sookie? What do you want?" He spread my legs with his body and began to grind against me. "Do you want this?"

A wave of need washed over me. I'd never felt anything so intense. My legs became weak and I was lying underneath him! My heart was pounding in my chest. His soft, warm lips tasted my neck. "Yes," I moaned.

"My sweet Sookie," he whispered in my ear. His hands were soon cupping my breasts. His thumbs stroked my nipples. The sensation was almost painful it felt so good. "I can smell your arousal, Sookie. Your lust has filled the bond." He pressed himself harder against me. "Can you feel mine?"

I nodded as I began to grind against him.

"How does it feel?"

"So good," I whimpered.

He lifted me slightly from the couch and pressed harder against me. "Look at me, Lover."

I did as he ordered.

"Tell me that you want this."

I licked my lips and stared into the eyes of the man that going to take my virginity, the man that was going to spoil me for all others. "I want this. I want you until I can think of nothing else. Every part of me wants you touching me, making love to me. I want you inside of me, making me beg for more. I want to watch you lose yourself while we're making love. I want you to be ruined for any other person." Wrapping my legs around him, I asked, "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Yes."

He leaned down to kiss me but I turned my head. He looked down at me and waited for me to speak. He didn't have to wait long. "Swear to me that you will never tire of me. That you'll be mine and mine alone for as long as I can have you. No one will ever come between us. That our life as one starts tonight. Swear to me."

His arms tightened around me. He stared deep into my eyes as he spoke. "I will bring you to my side, Sookie Stackhouse. Everything that I am is yours. Everything that I have is yours. Every vampire who owes me fealty will honor you. Every vampire, every Were, shifter, witch, and warlock will see you as my woman … my lover … my equal. You will be respected and accepted by all who encounter you. You will always be mine."

I kissed him ferociously. A primal growl escaped him as his mouth took more of mine. That one kiss told me that after tonight, there'd be no going back.

* * *

 **Cruel. I know but we're not done yet!**


	39. Chapter 39

**39**

 **Our First Time**

 **Hello! I know that y'all must be surprised. I have posted another chapter within a couple of weeks of the last week. Well, give or take a day or two. I had to post this earlier because of my job. I will be going to a training seminar and I will be gone for at least three weeks. I won't be working on the story during the time because I will be BUSY! I hope that y'all enjoy. Also, my future chapters will be beta'ed by nachelle . carrel. With her help, I will be able to post the chapters a lot sooner. I want to thank her for offering to help me to get the story posted in a timely manner.**

 **As always, I want to thank each of you for reading, alerting, reviewing, and favoriting me and my stories. Y'all are wonderful! The story idea belongs to me but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.**

 **A/N: nachelle . carrel if you are reading this, I've sent you a private message. I'll check my messages again Tuesday.**

* * *

"Your first time can't be here, Sookie. It shouldn't be here. You deserve better than this," he said as he gazed into my eyes.

Eric wanted to leave the bar but I didn't want this moment to end. He didn't want my first time to be in his bar. I can only assume that it's because he's been with others. That doesn't matter to me. It doesn't take anything away from Eric and I have. We can never have this moment again. I never expected to feel as I do but I do. I want this. I want this more than I've ever wanted anything in my life. I smiled as I returned his gaze. "There _is_ no better than this. I don't want to stop. I want to be with you. I want my first time to be here with you," I whispered.

And he agreed. The feel of his kisses on my mouth and his hands as they explored my body was pure heaven to me. Not wanting to get off me, Eric was a whiz at removing my dress. Lying there in nothing but my pink, lace underwear, I suddenly became shy. No man, well vampire, has ever seen me this 'naked'. I tried using my arms to cover myself but Eric was having none of it. "No," he ordered. "Place your arms at your side."

I was scared out of my mind. I didn't know what to expect when he saw me naked for the first time. I know that I'm not the first woman that Eric has ever had and that's what scares me. What if I don't measure up? What if I disappoint him? There was only one way to find out. Nervously, I did as I was told. When I did, I could have sworn I heard him catch an unnecessary breath. "Stunning," he whispered. He trailed his finger over the top of my exposed breasts and said, "Absolutely stunning."

I breathily thanked him for the compliment. "I appreciate that."

"Always so polite," he stated. He slowly unhooked the front clasps of my bra and freed my breasts. The cold air caused my nipples to tighten but not for long. The feel of his lips wrapped around them was pure ecstasy. The way Eric was holding me, tasting my breasts, made me feel wanted and desired. He was craving me. His hands were exploring every curve of my body. He gripped my bottom. His fingers flicked over the lacy front part of my panties. His tongue flicked back and forth over my nipples. It was wonderful. He was soon kissing his way to my neck, giving it soft kisses and gentle bites. He'd seen most of me and now, it was my turn.

Whispering in his ear, I said, "Let me undress you." He quickly stood from my body and stared down at me. I soon followed suit, standing in front of him in nothing but my panties. I let my hand travel over his shirt before helping him take it off. I'd never seen a more beautiful man. My fingertips caressed his chest, brushing lightly over his nipples. I began to kiss his chest, wanting to return the favor that he'd so willfully done for me. I glanced at him just as my tongue flicked over his nipple. His gasp let me know that he liked it. I was suddenly very proud of myself.

"Yes, Lover," he whispered. "It felt very good." I began to plant soft kisses over his chest. His moans spurned me on. Though my hands were shaking, I began to unbutton his pants. He gently placed his hands over mine. "I can do this if you're nervous."

I shook my head no. "I want to. I can do this."

He placed his hands at his side and let me do as I wanted. My hands were no longer shaking as I slid his jeans over his magnificent butt and muscular thighs. I avoided looking at the massive bulge that was next to my face when I pulled his pants down to his feet. Without any prodding from me, he stepped out of them. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply before standing tall; not touching his underwear. My heart was thudding in my chest as I worked up my nerve. When I hurriedly pulled them down, I had to catch my breath when I saw his manhood. I'd never seen anything so intimidating in my life. With wide eyes and a gaping mouth, I looked up at him. I had no idea what to do with that thing. I've seen movies and pictures in magazines but I've never seen a man that was as well-endowed as Eric. I had a lot to say but nothing, not even a peep, would come out of my mouth.

He smiled at me and said, "Don't worry, my lover. This one's on me." He quickly removed my panties before lifting me in his arms and placing me on the couch. Being the lady that I am though, I crossed my legs and placed my hands on my knees and smiled ... nervously. He laughed. "That won't work, Sookie." He removed my hands from my knees and placed them on the couch. He was soon kneeled in front of me and in between my legs.

When his mouth captured mine, I began to relax. He wrapped his arm around my waist before pulling my body close to his, to the edge of the couch; his hardness pressing against the flatness of my stomach. He continued to kiss me, my lips, my neck. He took each nipple into his mouth. The ecstasy from only the feel of his mouth drove me to distraction. I arched my back and begged him to take more of me.

"This pleases you." I could hear the assholery and arrogance in his voice but I didn't care because he was right. It pleased me.

"Yes," I moaned loudly.

He was smiling as he kissed his way down my stomach. When he kissed his way to the top of my sex, my body slid further down the couch. Though I wanted him to, he didn't touch it. He kissed around it. On top of it. He kissed and licked my thighs. He lightly kissed the lips of my wetness and I groaned. When he kissed the tip of my nub, I spread my legs wider; practically begging him to do more to me. "Oh, God," I cried out. That's all it took for him to take what he wanted. The tip of his tongue spread my lips even more. I gripped the edges of the couch and melted into his mouth. He sucked each lip before kissing his way to my pearl. His tongue massaged me in ways I've never known. I was wet and ready for him to make love to me but I didn't want him to stop. I gently held onto the sides of his face as I moved against his mouth. His hands were soon cupping my bottom; pulling me closer to his mouth. "I'm cumming, Eric!"

His fingers soon joined his mouth in pleasuring me… one, then two. The more he worked his fingers in and out of me, the more I bucked against him. Just as I came, he bit into my thigh. I screamed out in pleasure. He inserted another finger and it drove me over the edge. I bucked even more. Tears fell from the corners of my eyes. My heart was pounding in my chest. I didn't realize that he was kissing his way up my body until he reached my mouth. I could taste my blood and my juices in those kisses. "Do you want more, Sookie?" he asked as he repositioned my body on the couch, his fingers still inside me.

Staring into his eyes, I answered, "Yes, please."

My politeness got a chuckle out of him once again. He began to rub the head of his massive member over my nub. Fear thundered through me at the very thought of him being inside of me. He leaned in and whispered, "I'd never hurt you but if you don't want this, if you'd rather wait, we can." His eyes and voice said that he meant every word. He would have stopped if I wanted to but his body didn't want to stop. Neither did mine.

I gripped his arms and swallowed my fear. "I want this. I want you."

His kisses were soft and beautiful. They relaxed me once again. My body slowly released the remaining remnants of fear that I was feeling. He continued to stroke his 'gracious plenty' between my lips. I widened my legs for him. His pleading eyes were asking me once more if was I ready. I nodded yes as I reached between us and touched him. I rubbed his hardness against my sex to let him know that I was ready. That I wanted him.

Eric inserted the tip of his member inside of me. He swirled it around as he prepared to make love to me. He sighed as he began to enter me, slowly, lovingly. My arms were wrapped around him as tears, once again, fell from the corners of my eyes. I'd never felt such pain and pleasure in my life but it didn't last long. The pain began to subside as he slowly moved in and out of me. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. The feel of him inside of me was wonderous. It was blissful. He nibbled and kissed my ear. "So warm, so beautiful," he whispered.

And it was. I enjoyed the feel of him making love to me but the pressure that he was putting my nub made me want more of him. I tried to spread my legs wider but the couch wouldn't let me. I whispered in his ear and begged. "More, _please_."

"Are you sure?" he asked as he continued to make love to me.

I'd never been surer of anything in my life. "Yes."

He repositioned my body so that my bottom half was once again hanging off the edge of the couch, never leaving the warmth of me. He began to thrust in and out of me in a steady yet gentle rhythm. He was treating me so delicately … like a flower. As if I was going to break. And I respected that. He is my first lover and he wants to make sure that he's careful with me but I didn't need or want that. I'm not a flower and I won't break. The pain had all but gone. I spread my legs wider. "More," I ordered.

The corner of his mouth twitched as he gave in to my request. His thrusts became more forceful. He went deeper inside of me and it still wasn't enough. I began to swirl my hips around as I worked him deeper inside of me. I could feel him hitting parts of me that I never knew were there and still, I wanted more of him. I sat up, never letting him leave me, and wrapped my arms around his neck as I straddled him. I forced him back onto the floor and began riding him for all I was worth. There's no need to say that he was surprised at what I'd done but he didn't stop me. He let me do what I wanted. And I still wanted more. He lifted himself from the floor with his feet and began thrusting deeper inside of me. I couldn't hold out any longer. I moaned as I gripped his hardness with my sex. I moved back and forth just as I was about to orgasm and then it happened. As I came, I leaned forward and bit into his neck. He came with me. "Sookie!" he cried out.

Our bodies continued to move together as my sweaty body lazily fell on top of him. Eric wrapped his cool arms around me. He kissed and nuzzled my neck while I rested my head on his chest. "That was wonderful. Your gracious plenty frightened me at first." The contractions were slowly leaving me as I milked the last of his essence inside of me.

He frowned as he laughed. "My what?"

I giggled. "Your gracious plenty. Your other leg."

That really got a laugh out of him. "I've never had anyone call it a gracious plenty." He gave a curt nod. "I like it. Gracious plenty. It seems to be quite suitable."

"Good. I'm glad that you like it." I gave him a quick kiss before placing my head back on his chest. I began to trace my finger along his chest, twirling the fine, blond hairs around my finger. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Did I do it right?" I asked. I buried my face into his chest; obviously embarrassed by my embarrassing question. "Was I supposed to take over ... the way that I did? Should I have waited for you ... you know ... to tell me what to do?"

His laugh was loud and hearty. "You did it wonderfully. You did what you wanted to do and that pleased me. Don't ever be afraid to take what you want. As a matter of fact, I loved it." Because he was still inside of me, my muscles squeezed around him. I moved to lie next to him but he stopped me. With his arms still around me, he said, "I love being inside of you. I love the warmth of your body. I especially love the feel of your heartbeat. It's soothing. It's calming. It makes me feel closer to you." He let his fingers trail up and down my spine. "I didn't hurt you, did I? You feel no pain?"

I shook my head no. "I drank from you, remember? I won't feel anything other than euphoria." I soon laughed. "Even if I could feel it, I don't think I would care. It was wonderful being with you like that. I feel amazing. It was very well worth it."

And just like that, the atmosphere changed. "Look at me, Sookie?"

I did.

"You realize what happened with us tonight."

"I do," I said as I nodded. I was wondering if Eric was going to realize what I'd done. I should've known that he would. It's Eric Northman for Pete's sake. "Does it bother you? Did you want to wait a little longer?" I sighed. "I guess I should've asked you before I did that. It was quite presumptuous of me to do that without asking you first. I'm usually very polite and considerate of others. I should have been more considerate of you and your blood. I know that we'd planned on bonding permanently but it was too soon … wasn't it?" I'd inhaled to say more but his kiss stopped my useless rambling.

"No, it wasn't too soon. It's what I want, Sookie. We're fully bonded and it's what I want. No one can take you away from me. No one can take me away from you." His lips brushed against mine. "I don't regret what happened. I'll never regret what happened. You're mine now."

"Yeah," I said. "I'm yours and _you're_ mine. We belong to each other." It made me feel giddy inside. I have someone in my life that accepts me. He may hate my faery family members but he doesn't mind that I'm a Brigant. He's proud of who and what I am. He's not ashamed of what I can do. He's not trying to hide me away like I'm some dark secret. He wants me to succeed in this life and this world. Outside of my grandparents, I've never had that. "Thank you, Eric."

"For what?" He almost looked confused.

"For everything." My lips brushed against his as I stared into his beautiful eyes.

"Thank you," he offered. "You have given me the greatest gift." He looked like he wanted to say more but he stopped himself. "It is wonderful to be a part of you and for you to be a part of me. Your lifeforce is strong and fulfilling. I can feel you moving inside of me. I haven't felt this alive in a _very_ long time."

"You're wonderful." I caressed his cheek as my desire for him filled me. My eyes closed as I touched my lips to his. I could feel him harden inside of me as the kiss deepened. His hands moved to my hips as I slowly began to make love to him. I gasped out in pleasure as he matched my rhythm. I clung to him as I lay on his chest and let him move in and out of me. Our arms wrapped around each other as his thrusts became more frenzied. I could feel my orgasm building, getting closer with each thrust. My body needed and wanted more of Eric.

Only seconds later, my orgasm wracked my body with pleasure. My sex contracted with each thrust, with each wave of pleasure. He held me closer as he loved me harder, deeper. His orgasm soon ravaged his body, exploding inside of me. The pleasure that he'd given me was amazing. I never wanted it to stop. If I could, I'd have Eric forever. "You're amazing, Eric Northman."

He shook his head no. "You are the amazing one, Sookie." He then did something that he doesn't have to do. He sighed.

"Vampires don't sigh," I said. "What's wrong?"

He kissed the tip of my nose before speaking. "I don't want this to end." He almost sounded sad, though there is no reason for him to be sad. I have no reason to go anywhere. We're bonded now.

I folded my hands on his chest and rested my chin on the back of my hand. "It doesn't have to. We can do this every night if we want. We don't have to answer to anyone. We don't have to fear what others think or say about us. This is about us." I shook my head and said, "No one else can stop us from being together."

He lifted his head and frowned at me. I could feel the anticipation and curiosity flowing through the bond. "What are you saying?"

Smiling, I replied, "That for as long as we can, we can be together. We can have so much fun together. We can work together. We can travel together. We can laugh and cry together. We can do anything that we want to do for as long as we want … for as long as I'm here."

Eric smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. There was nothing in the bond. He rested his head back onto the floor and didn't say anything. He just held me.

My smile slowly faded away into nothing. "Are you okay?"

His face was blank when he answered me. "You've ruined me."


	40. Chapter 40

**40**

 **There's No Rush**

 **This chapter is posted much sooner than I thought it would be and it's because of Nachelle. She is a great help and I appreciate her so much. And with her help, I can possibly post chapters on a more consistent basis.**

 **I want to thank each of you for reading, reviewing, alerting, and making this story and me one of your favorites. I hope that y'all enjoy and let me know what you think.**

* * *

I've lived for over a thousand years; give or take a few years. I can never quite remember my age but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that my life has been an amazing one. I've travelled the world at least twenty times. I've been to some of the most beautiful countries. I've slept in some of the most beautiful cities in the world. I've dined with many kings, queens, princes, princesses, dukes, and duchesses. I've driven the finest cars and drank the finest blood. I've made love to the most beautiful men and women in this world, but none of them, not a single one of them, can compare to the woman that I'm holding in my arms right now. She's absolutely extraordinary. She's brave, intelligent, loyal, and stunningly gorgeous. She's funny, witty, charming, and quick on her feet. What makes her even more beautiful is that she doesn't seem to know how great she is. She's everything that I could ever want in a mate, and she is mine. She is actually mine … but not for long.

I can't keep her forever, and she's told me as much. She doesn't want to be a vampire. She wants to walk in the sun and eat the foods that she's always loved. She wants to spend her time in the sunlight while she can and spend her nights with me. She wants to continue being who and what she is, and I don't blame her for that. She should want to be Sookie Stackhouse. There's no one like her. She's an original, and that's rare in a world where everyone wants to be anyone but who they are. I snuggled her deeper into my arms as I gazed into her eyes. "You have ruined me," I said.

She kissed the tip of my nose. Trying to lighten the mood, she playfully asked, "Is that such a bad thing?" Her nervousness was more than apparent in her eyes.

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It is not," I said as I pressed my lips to hers. "It's a wonderful thing, Sookie. It's an extraordinary gift you've given me and I don't mean your virginity. You've given me more than I deserve." There was more that I wanted to say, but I just couldn't say it. I couldn't tell her that if something happens to her, it would very well destroy me. I wanted her to bask in this glorious moment that we've shared, so I kept my feelings to myself. I filled the bond with joy and contentment. She was going to believe me, because she could feel it through the bond … or so I believed.

"You're such a liar," she said with a smile.

I even looked offended by her maliciously playful words. "Whatever do you mean?" I asked.

With her chin resting on the backs of her hands, she shook her head no. "Don't rush our time away with what could happen, because it may not happen. Maybe because I'm part fae, I'll have a longer life than most humans. My grandfather is over four hundred years old. Maybe your blood will keep me here longer than anyone would think," she explained.

She was right, but she could still die. She's part human, and I don't want her to die. I want to keep her with me and make her happy forever. "You're right," I agreed. "You're absolutely right."

She still didn't believe me. "Don't downplay what you're feeling. It's okay, Eric, that you feel this way. For as long as I'm able, I'm not going anywhere. I like where I am." She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know what's happening between us, but I like it and want it. I don't know if it's love, but it's something like it. I know that I want to be here for you no matter what you need from me. Hugs, kisses … great sex," she playfully added. "I want you to know that I'm always here … even when I'm not."

She rested her head on my chest as she continued. "Since the moment we met, I knew that we belonged together. There's no doubt in my mind that you belong with me. I can make you happy and make all of your dreams come true, because I am, after all, Sookie Stackhouse." I could feel her smile as she wrapped her arms around me. "You don't have to fear what will happen because it may never happen. Even if it does, I'm here." She squeezed her arms around me as best she could and said, "I'm right here."

I closed my eyes and exhaled. It was the safest and happiest I've ever felt in my entire existence. "There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you, Sookie," I whispered as I stared into the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen and smiled.

"I know," she answered as she stared into my eyes.

"We can do so many things together," I promised her. "I will show you the world. If you let me, I will give it to you."

"I'll let you," she promised. She passionately kissed me. She began to move up and down on my cock. It was the most sensuous feeling I've ever known. She kissed from my lips to my ear. "Don't rush our time away. Don't be afraid." She gazed into my eyes as she made love to me. She was soon sitting up with her hands resting on my chest. She closed her eyes and thrust her chest forward as she took me deeper inside of her. When I took her pink buds into my mouth, her movements became more frantic. She moved at a pace that would have made an average man cum within seconds. I didn't cum, but it was more than I could take. I couldn't lie on my back too much longer. I had my lover lying on her back and was giving her a proper claiming seconds later. She lifted her hips to meet my thrusts as she threw her legs on my shoulders. "Oh, God!" She cried out. She exposed her neck to me and passionately moaned out, "Do it!"

I gave my lover what she wanted. Her orgasm travelled through me, and it was exquisite. The feel of her muscles tightening around me was more than I could handle. Seconds later, I was cumming with her. I pumped in and out of her until I had nothing left. I rolled off her and rested at her side. Staring up at the ceiling, I repeated, "You have ruined me."

She laughed as she turned to look at me.

For the next few minutes, we talked about nothing and everything. It was beautiful. She laughed, I laughed, she talked, and I talked. I wanted to do this all night, but alas, we could not. "I'm going to shower," she announced. "I'm going to shower, and then we have to go and speak with that tattoo artist. Deal?"

"Deal," I agreed.

"I should be done in, like, twenty minutes?"

"That's good for me."

She kissed me before jumping up from the floor. "Don't miss me too much," she jested.

I watched her as she ran to my personal bathroom. She wasn't gone thirty seconds before there was a knock at my office door. "Come," I answered as I stood from the floor.

Thalia and her child, Kendra, came in together. A sly smile was prominently placed on Thalia's face. She briefly closed her eyes and inhaled. "I see that you have properly taken claim of your woman," she said as she sauntered over to the couch, sat down, and let her hands lightly brush across the leather cushions. "She smells absolutely divine," she uttered. She glanced at me and asked, "Was she as good as she smells?"

Kendra stood in the doorway. She, too, was basking in the scent that is my woman. "She had to be," she whispered.

I ignored the comments of the vampires as I pulled on my jeans. I asked, "Why are you here?"

Thalia pointed to Kendra as she continued to stroke the couch. "We may have found Maxwell Lee. Well, we have several places to look. We know where one of his humans live. From what I've learned, she's his favorite. We can't approach her home, because he will catch our scents." She pulled a folder from inside her jacket and handed it to me. I went to my desk and began reading it while she talked. "There's just basic info in there about the girl … pictures, address, job … basic. From what I've learned, she works long hours. She's home by six and in bed by ten." She folded her arms over her chest as she continued. "The catch is that Maxwell hasn't been there in a couple of weeks. From speaking to the woman's neighbors, she's sad about it. One guy said that he's noticed a strange car outside of her home. He said that it's a black guy, but he couldn't say for sure if it's Maxwell."

Thalia chuckled, "If she's Maxwell's favorite, it's him. He's keeping an eye on her from afar." She had that look in her eye, and I knew what she was thinking and planning.

I gave her a slight nod to let her know to do what's necessary. "Don't kill her. If she's innocent, we won't kill her."

"Done," she said.

"Here's the kicker," Kendra said. "Alcide knows the girl. She's his sister Janice's CPA. She has also done accounting work for the pack."

That surprised me. Alcide has not mentioned knowing a woman that belongs to Maxwell Lee, but why would he. Alcide and I are not what I'd call friends or even associates. He's one of the Colonel's best Weres. He's always been loyal to his pack. He's not always been loyal to me, though. Alcide has a history of wanting what's mine. However, he has only ever acted on his impulses once. The punishment was handed down by the Colonel. I can't say that I agreed with the punishment, but there was nothing that I could do about it. I had no rights to him, but if he's had anything to do with my child being taken, his life will be mine. "Has he been made aware of what you know? Does anyone in his pack know what's been discovered?" I demanded.

Kendra shook her head no. She almost looked offended by my questions. Her tone let me know exactly how she felt. "My maker has raised me to be discreet, not foolish," she stated firmly.

The disgust on Thalia's face was more than clear. She glared at Kendra as she slowly approached her. "Apologize to him," Thalia commanded.

In a meek voice, Kendra did as her maker ordered. "Forgive me, Sheriff."

"Go back to the hotel and stay there until I return," Thalia ordered.

Kendra bowed her head. "Yes, Mistress."

Thalia watched as the vampiress sailed from the room. She returned to the couch before speaking again. "Alcide. What do we do about him? Follow him or take him?"

"Follow him," I commanded. "Track his every move. Trace his calls. Do whatever is necessary to get what we need. I want Maxwell Lee."

"You will have him." Thalia said as she removed a slip of paper from her pocket, flicking it at me. "This might help," she added.

I opened the paper, and there was a list of addresses. I looked at her and waited.

"I trust my children, but some things are better left between masters." She was leaning forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "I think that I've found where Maxwell could possibly be hiding Pam." She pointed at the paper. "After doing away with that annoying human, something dawned on me. I wanted to let you know about it, but I had to be sure. Now, I'm sure. I went through some old documents that I had. Those three addresses are warehouses that his maker owned before her untimely demise. I knew of her for many, many centuries.

"She was a lovely woman; before and after her turn. She used to be the human lover of Count Von-Halmstad. She was a very private person and vampire. She was also very suspicious of anyone that wasn't her maker and that includes her children. That's why Maxwell was the last of her bloodline." She shook her head and continued, "I never understood why she turned them only to kill them. It surprised me that she kept Maxwell with her." She then waved her hand. "Never mind all of that. She had three safehouses in this area. She has them all over the world, but those three addresses, one of them must be where we find Pam. Is your bond with her clear, or does it seem far away?"

"Clear," I answered. "I know that she's close to me. I can feel her every emotion, as if she's with me."

"Good," she said as she nodded. She leaned back and crossed her legs. "My children and I are going to the safehouses to investigate and whatever we find, you will be made aware."

My heart swelled with gratefulness. I could have my child back with me as soon as tomorrow. "Thank you," I replied.

"No thanks needed, old friend," she said. "Pam is a wonderfully, irritating vampire, and I miss her dearly." Thalia suddenly had a curious look on her face. "To have a child taken must be a heartbreaking and murderous feeling. I would never want to be in your shoes. You have always been a friend to me, Eric, and I will do whatever I can to get Pam back with you." She then brushed a long strand of black hair over her shoulder. "Why did you never tell me that she's your sister? Did you not trust me with your secret?"

I rested my elbows on the desk. "I've always trusted you, Thalia. You are a vampire of great honor. I have never doubted you. I never told anyone because I was protecting her. I have many enemies. Though I've never been one to look for trouble, it has always found me. If it had been discovered, I feared a much worse fate than a kidnapping." Staring into her eyes, "It had nothing to do with trusting you," I answered with all seriousness.

"I know," she replied.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"I'm no fool, Eric," she said as she laughed. "I've never seen you look at Pam in a lover's way. You showed her great affection, but to me, it wasn't as one would treat a lover. A slight peck on her lips or a gentle hand on her back, but you two never held hands. As we all know, affection is not something that's shown in our world, so it wasn't that big of a deal."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Some vampires chalked it up to keeping your relationship hidden, and I went along with that. They would make comments, and I would tell them how smart you were to keep your relationship with Pam under wraps. I've known for many years that she's not your lover, but your secret was not mine to tell. If she'd never been kidnapped, I would have taken your secret to the grave. I would have never revealed to you that I know. I would have continued to keep it secret from others. As I've always said, your secrets are safe with me." Her eyes were suddenly deadly, vacant of any emotion. "If I'd known that your secret had been discovered, I would have killed all that knew. She would still be here with you."

I believed her.

"Oh," she added as she rolled her eyes. "You're going to be getting a call from that dullard king of yours soon. He's going to invite you and the divine Ms. Stackhouse to a party."

My body stiffened and anger rolled through me. "How do you know this?" I demanded.

She cocked her head to the side and smiled. "I'm Thalia, Eric. I've tapped his phones. I'd hoped that he was involved in some way, but he's not. The fucker is innocent. Go figure." She shook her head in disappointment. "Anyway, my contact with the FBI called me tonight. She forwarded me a recording of Victor calling the king, and guess what? He called to see if anyone has heard from the were-tiger."

I slammed my fist onto my desk. "I fucking knew it! He was questioning me about Pam and Sookie." I told Thalia about the visit from Victor the night that Sookie was attacked. I shouldn't have let him leave. Something told me to kill him. I should've listened.

"Victor has always been a coward," she said. "Everyone knows that he's never fought his own battles. He's never been too bright, either. I think that we know for certain that he didn't come up with this plan."

"No, he did not," I agreed.

"Back to the phone call and the upcoming party," she suggested. "Bill was speaking with Salome on the call. They discussed the atrocities that Sookie faced. He plans on killing Victor at the party. I think that it's to try and win over the affections of Ms. Stackhouse, but he claims that it's because Victor has committed a blood offense. He _knows_ that Victor is aware that Sookie is yours, and because Quinn was under his employment, he will be held responsible. He wants those under his rule to know that blood offenses of any kind will not be tolerated."

"Bullshit," I proclaimed as I leaned back in my seat. "It's just as you said. He wants what is mine. He wants to be Sookie's hero. He tried to glamor her the first night he met her. He killed Hebert for doing something he'd done."

Thalia laughed, "That's what Salome said to him on the call. He completely ignored her."

I shook my head as I chuckled, "Bill is full of shit."

"Don't I know it. So, what do we do?" Thalia asked. "Do we take Victor and kill him ourselves, or do we let the king have his moment in the spotlight?"

"Let him have it," I replied. "This is what we need. It appears that Victor and Maxwell are working together. If Bill's spectacle goes as planned, maybe we'll get what we need from him. Why this was done. Who their employer is. As you said earlier, neither of those morons have the common sense to do this on their own."

Thalia laughed, "Right?" A look of pure disgust was on her face. "They've left behind too many witnesses." Her phone began to buzz in her purse. She smiled as she looked at the screen. "Bill will be calling you … now." She pointed at my phone just as it began to ring, and Sookie emerged from the bathroom dressed in my robe.

My fangs dropped when I saw her. She looked tantalizing and absolutely stunning. Her skin was glowing. "You look gorgeous," I softly told her.

A blush crept from underneath the robe and to her face. "Answer your phone, Eric," she ordered. She looked at Thalia and smiled. "Hello, Thalia."

Thalia waved her fingers at her. "Hello, Sookie. I hope that you are well this evening."

Again, she blushed. "I am."

Thalia was very professional with Sookie. Her fangs didn't descend. Her nostrils didn't flare. She smiled and returned her focus to me and the phone call.

"This is Eric."

"And this is your king," Bill replied. "I hope that you are doing well this evening."

I glanced at Sookie before answering him. "I am doing very well this evening, Your Majesty. I hope that you're doing well. I also hope that you've called to tell me that you've learned something about my child."

Thalia winked at me and gave me the thumbs up.

Sookie looked from me to Thalia; wonder filled her eyes.

Bill chuckled, "I may have a little something for you." There was a slight pause. I knew what was coming. "Is Ms. Stackhouse with you?" he asked.

"She is," I answered.

"Hello, Ms. Stackhouse."

She rolled her eyes before answering him. "Hello, Your Majesty."

"The joy in your voice is quite contagious, my dear," he said. "Are you still going to stay with the Sheriff?" He hurriedly added, "I only ask because I'm concerned for you safety. If more people find out about what you can do and who you are …"

She walked over to stand next to me and quickly replied, "I have no intentions of leaving Eric. I'm quite positive that he can take very good care of me and keep me safe. I have no doubts when it comes to him."

Those words caused lust to fill the bond. So much so that Sookie closed her eyes and moaned. "Yes," I growled as my arm went around her waist pulling her close to me. "She is mine."

Thalia lost just a bit of her professionalism when Sookie's lust filled the air. Her nostrils flared and her fangs dropped. She closed her eyes before apologizing. "Forgive me," she breathily said.

"Hmmm," was Bill's reply. "Have things moved forward with your relationship?"

I slid my chair from underneath my desk and made room for my lover to take a seat. She draped her arm over my shoulder as she sat down. "You know that I can't answer that question, Your Majesty. My Sookie is a lady, and she would be extremely unhappy if I divulged such personal information."

She sweetly kissed my cheek before hugging me. "Thank you," she whispered in my ear.

I rested my head against hers and closed my eyes. I've never known such contentment in all my thousand years. I've never felt so needed or wanted by another person. I've never felt as protected and cherished. No one's ever made me feel valuable or special before Sookie. She doesn't see a monster or a killer when she looks at me. She accepts my flaws. She forgives my mistakes. I don't feel the need to apologize for being who and what I am. What could I have done in this life to deserve such a treasure?

"You're not smitten. You're in love," Thalia whispered so softly that only I could hear.

I opened my eyes and glared at her. I removed my head from Sookie's and straightened my back. I didn't respond to her comment, but Sookie noticed the change in me. She stared at the side of my face but said nothing. Instead, I returned to my call. "No need to divulge any personal information, Sheriff. I'll be able to see for myself this weekend," Bill stated.

Sookie looked at the phone before asking, "What do you mean?"

"I'm glad you asked," Bill answered. "I'm throwing a party Saturday evening. You and your Viking will be receiving your invitations by carrier tomorrow evening. This will be an important gathering, so you and Eric must be here. I won't take no for an answer either. This part affects both of you. So," he said. "Will you be RSVP'ing now, or should I wait for the carrier to arrive with your reply?"

"We will be there," I answered.

I could hear Bill clap his hands. "Wonderful," he announced. "Absolutely wonderful. Oh, and Eric?"

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"I hear that Thalia is in town. Will she be attending?" He asked.

Thalia answered for herself. "Most definitely, My Liege. I was coming to check in with you tomorrow night, but you can wait until Saturday, right?"

"Yes," he replied. "I can't wait to see you. It's been quite a while."

Thalia agreed, "Not quite long enough."

"That sense of humor," Bill mumbled. "I forgot how fucking dry it is." I could almost see him rolling his eyes. "So, RSVP'ing?"

She gave a slight nod. "I will be there with bells on," she replied dryly.

"Good," he said. "I will see you all Saturday night. I can't wait to see you, Ms. Stackhouse." He ended the call with nothing else.

Sookie sighed as she looked at the phone. "Great! Another long, boring night with Bill." She stood from my lap and shook her head in disappointment. She went to the couch and grabbed her clothes. "I'm going to get dressed, and I'll meet you in the bar. Good evening, Thalia."

Thalia laughed at Sookie's reaction at having to meet Bill again. "I know how you feel, Sookie. It is never a pleasure to spend time with that blowhard."

She was shaking her head no as she walked back to the bathroom. "No, it's not."

Once the door closed behind her, Thalia said, "My words weren't meant to upset you. Your actions, your behavior surprised me. You've never been affectionate like that, not even with Pam." She crossed her legs and began kicking her leg back and forth. "I've never seen you so vulnerable, so content. It's nice to see you like that. I like seeing you happy, Eric. You deserve that."

I glared at her as I coldly stated, "You didn't see what you think you saw."

She shrugged her shoulders as she stood from the couch. "Okay. We've been friends for centuries, Eric. I know you almost as well as I know myself. Don't take these next words as anything more than a warning from a friend. Be careful Saturday night. Don't be so obvious with her around the others. You'll be putting her at risk," she said as she smiled at me. "I'm going to sit out there with Sookie while you get yourself together." She left without saying another word.

There was absolutely no reason for me to be upset with Thalia. She did nothing wrong. It was her words. They scared me to my very core, because they're true. I am in love with Sookie and it fucking terrifies me.


	41. Chapter 41

**41**

 **Nothing Ever Really Changes**

 **Hello, everyone. I know that it's been a while and for that I am sorry. I've gotten a promotion at work, and it's been getting harder to update as often as I'd like. Thankfully, I still have the wonderful Nachelle to help me get this to y'all in a somewhat timely manner. Anyway, I want to thank each of you for reading, reviewing, making this story and me a favorite. The story idea belongs to me but the wonderful and amazing characters belong to Charlaine Harris. As always, enjoy.**

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I couldn't believe who I was seeing. The creature that had made the lives of those that I love more than anyone or anything in this world pure hell and torture was standing before me. He looked exactly the same. He had the same scars on his face. Just as always, his eyes were as dead as ever. He oozed arrogance, anger, and hatred. Nothing about him had changed. Even in death, he hasn't found peace. I could see the same monster that sold me off to another monster that did horrid things to me as he, my father, watched. My father, the man that I hate more than anyone or anything in this world, was here. In a sense, he was still alive. "You're supposed to be dead." I glared at him as he smiled at me. "You're supposed to be nothing more than a rotting corpse. You're not supposed to be here. Eric said that …"

"What was he supposed to say?" Appius asked as he cut me off. With a wave of his hand, his smile broadened. "He's always believed me to be dead, just as you did. Being a vampire made it easy for me to hide … changing my name from city to city, never staying in the same place too long. I was always on the move. I made sure to never cross paths with him, but I always made sure to keep tabs on him." He sighed as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'd hoped that he'd have died many, many years ago but, alas, he did not." He shook his head in disappointment. "I've always hated that boy. I should've killed him when your mother shit him out." He had the audacity to look sickened at the fact that Eric is still among the living, or undead, I should say.

Though I've always known that he's felt that way, it still hurts me to hear him say such things about Eric. "He's your son," I reminded him.

Appius sat in the seat that Maxwell had not too long ago vacated. He crossed his legs and leaned back. He placed his hands on his knee. "Let us correct that statement. He's my disappointment, the very bane of my existence. That's all your beloved brother has ever been to me. I'd always wanted a son, but the one that was sent to me was less than what I deserved. I deserved better."

" _He_ deserved better," I growled at him. I stood close to the cell bars; the heat from the silver radiated against my skin. "You should realize how lucky you were to have a son like Eric. He is greatly admired and respected by those in the supe world. Your jealously of him is showing, Appius. I'm pretty sure … no. I'm fucking certain that you've heard of how others revere him. Why else would you return? You're here to take what you haven't earned." The look that he gave me caused me to step away from the bars. I've been on the receiving end of Appius' wrath. It is nothing that I'd like to have happen again.

He smiled as he relaxed even more in his chair. He lifted his hand and responded, "Never fear, my dear, I have no intentions of hurting you. I didn't take you to cause you harm or to kill you. That is not what I want to do. I meant it when I said you won't be hurt by anyone here and that includes me. If any more harm is caused to you, they will pay for their slight. Maxwell Lee knows this first hand. Never fear, you will not be harmed." He winked at me. "I always keep my word."

That made me laugh. "Bullshit."

That caused a short chuckle to escape him. "How so, my dear?"

"You never keep your word," I said as I shook my head. "You've never kept your word. You promised Mother that she could keep me, but you stole me away from her in the middle of the night like a fucking coward." I glared at him.

He agreed. "You are right. I did take you from your mother." He pointed at me and said, "That cannot be denied. When I took you, that poor woman was devastated. I fear that it almost pushed her over the very edge, but you are wrong about one thing, Pamela."

This time I chuckled. "Please enlighten me."

"She did get to keep you," he replied. "I never said that she would be able to keep you forever. So, I did keep my word. You just don't agree with the length of time you were allowed to stay in our home."

"Asshole," I said.

He laughed outright. He placed his hand to his chest and said, "Well, I never!"

"I hate you, Appius."

He was still laughing.

I've never hated one being more than I hate Appius. "You're extraordinarily cruel for no reason. You took great pleasure in hurting your family. You'd hurt us for entertainment. Being cruel was a hobby for you. You couldn't be like the other men in the village. You couldn't take up hunting or fishing to relax. You had to torture your family and your subjects. You tormented your family … the people that you were supposed to love and protect. So, when you say that you won't hurt me, I don't believe you because that's who you are. That's what you do. People don't change."

Appius agreed. "Nothing ever really changes, does it?"

"No," I agreed. "Not when it comes to you."

He stared at me for a moment. Saying nothing, just staring at me. He seemed to be considering what I'd said but with Appius, one never knows what he's considering. "I have been an awful person, Pamela. As far as you're concerned, what I say means nothing. To you, I've never kept my word and that's fair. I don't blame you for feeling as you do. You have absolutely no reason to believe anything that I say to you and as far as fathers and husbands go," he said as he shook his head, "you're right. I was a shitty father and husband. I did take pleasure in hurting my family. It pleased me to abuse and humiliate each of you. I don't know why." He chuckled. "I honestly don't know why I do the things I do. I've never known why."

Though I've always known what he said was true, it surprised me to hear him speak the truth. Appius has never been a truthful person, but to hear him admit it was shocking. It gave me the open door that I needed. "We were your family. You were our father, our mother's husband. You were supposed to love us, take care of us, and protect us. You did none of that. You only made our lives worse." I sat on the bed as I looked at him. "When I was a little girl, I used to want to follow you and Eric everywhere, but neither of you would ever let that happen. I never understood why." I stared out at nothing. "I used to believe that you were the epitome of what a father should be until the day I walked into the barn." I closed my eyes and dropped my head. "I was five when I finally saw you for the monster that you are. You were doing horrible things to my brother. You were expecting him to scream out … to cry, but he didn't do that." I shook my head in the hopes that the memory would leave me. "He remained strong. He's always remained strong."

"Yes, I remember that day." I could hear the smile in his fucking voice. When I opened my eyes and looked at him, he _was_ smiling. That sick fucker was actually smiling. So, I did what I do best. I returned his smile and sauntered back to the bars and stared him down. "You wanted to break him, but you couldn't do it. He was defiant and remarkably strong, stronger than you ever believed him to be. He never cried out. He never flinched. He showed you that he was a stronger man than you'd ever be, a better man than you'd ever be."

Just like that, I saw it. I saw what he never wanted me or anyone else to see. "You were broken," I whispered. "You hate him because you were broken when he was not. Everything that you'd done to him had been done to you, and you couldn't take it. You gave in to your tormentors." My mouth fell open from surprise. "You really are as weak as we've always believed you to be."

Anger flared in his eyes, but he didn't move. He didn't respond.

My back straightened as I relished in my revelation. "You knew that he was stronger and better than you would ever be and it terrified you. My brother, my maker, had the love and respect of your subjects ... something that you never had, not even in death." I closed my eyes as I was suddenly filled with love and calmness. I felt my brother's blood flowing through my veins … his happiness and joy. I could feel that he has Sookie now. She is his and he is hers. I continued to smile at Appius as I opened my eyes. "My brother has the loyalty of others because of what you did to him. It made him stronger and even more honorable. That's why the villagers fought with him … for him. That's why they died for him. Do you want to know what they did when they learned that you'd been killed?"

Ever so slightly, he tilted his head forward.

"They cheered in the streets," I said. "Eric said that they had a huge party when they'd learned that you were dead. They were happy because you were finally dead. They were free of your tyrannical ways." I smiled proudly as I talked of our people. "Under our uncle's rule, the countryside flourished, our people flourished. They were finally able to prosper. They could feed and clothe their families. They could live without fear of punishment and death. My brother, your son; he was able to do what you never could."

Though his face was emotionless, his eyes were angry. The anger that rolled off him was thunderous. His power was extraordinary. I was terrified of what he could do to me, but I never let him know it. I was just as defiant as ever. He needed to see that I was not the little girl that he'd sold to the highest bidder. "Regardless of what you do, you will never measure up to him."

His smile terrified me. "You're right. Your brother turned our village into a prosperous land of opportunity. I hate to admit it, but Eric was always an extraordinary young man. He had such great potential. I'm more than sure that if given the chance, he would have expanded our kingdom as far as the seas."

A jolt of surprise hit me. I couldn't believe that Appius was giving Eric a compliment. In all my years with the family, he never had anything nice to say about him. Everything was always an insult. He was too soft, too weak, and cared too much about those that didn't matter. Everything good about my brother, Appius saw as an imperfection. They were his worst qualities. "Then why?" I asked.

His smile was now a smirk. "Why not?"

"Because you were his father, my father."

"So?" His smirk was somehow nastier.

I stood impossibly closer to the bars. "The things that you did to him, no father would ever do to his son." In a softer voice, I added, "The things that you did to me, to mother. Your cruelty knew no bounds. You raped us, tortured us, humiliated us … and all because you could?" I nodded the answer to my question. "I get it now. I get why I'm here. You took me because you think that Eric will break and give you whatever it is that you want. You think that keeping me tethered to you will give you control of him."

Appius nodded slightly and shrugged his shoulders. "I used to believe that," he said. "I used to think that by taking you, I could control him. I could have but I feel that I was wrong in taking you. I should've waited a little longer and taken the human."

Images of Sookie filled my mind. I smiled as I thought of the sweet innocent girl that first entered Fangtasia. Her gumption and her spunk. Her verve for life and the unknown. The way she walked into our lives without an ounce of fear. The girl that walked into that bar is now a part of a world that she can never get out of. I almost pitied her.

Almost.

Sookie's going to be just fine in this world. She's a force to be reckoned with. She will earn her place in this world, and she will make it. I glared at Appius, not even he will destroy her. He thought Eric was strong? He hasn't met Sookie Stackhouse yet. The clearing of Appius' throat interrupted my thoughts.

"Are you with me?"

I looked around my cell and asked, "Really?"

"Fair," he replied. He folded his hands and placed them on his lap. "I hear that the girl is a telepath. Before poor Long Shadow met his demise, he told several high-ranking vampires that Eric's new plaything works for him. He even told them about how Eric protected the girl from a man that attacked her." He began to kick his foot back and forth. "I find that to be quite strange considering she's never had his blood." He glanced up at me and asked, "Or has she?"

Once again, I looked around me. "I wouldn't know that, Appius. I'm in here."

He waggled his finger at me. "I don't believe you, but what can I do? You possibly don't know. He could have bonded with her after you were taken. I'll give you that one."

"Thank you, oh great and wonderful Oz. Your words have provided me the comfort and acknowledgement that I so desperately need from you. I can now die a happy vampiress." I bowed and began blowing middle finger kisses to him.

"Ha, ha," he said before continuing. "If I'd waited, I would know for certain what the girl means to him. I heard that he's gotten the help of the king in his quest to find you. I'm sure the king will do what he can to take the girl, which will make it harder for me to get to her." He shook his head in disappointment. "He has too many guards. Someone's always watching and sadly, I have no spies in the king's court."

"I don't care," I said.

He ignored me. "I've heard that your brother is quite smitten with her." He leaned forward in his seat and asked, "What is she? What is this girl … this Sookie Stackhouse?"

I frowned at him as I stood tall … playing the role of the outsider. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said," he replied. "What is she?"

"She's human," I answered. I shrugged my shoulders and asked, "She's not affiliated with any particular supes. She's always been in the human world. From what we've learned of her, her parents are human. From what we know and from what she's shared with us, she's only met us … vampires. Along with the shifter, Sam Merlotte. What else would she be?" My frown deepened as I amped up my role as the curious vampire. "What do you know about her?"

He must have believed me because he tried to blow me off. "Nothing much, no more than you know. I know that her family has all but vanished from that quaint, little town they reside in. Renard Parrish, is it?"

I shook my head no. I knew exactly what he was doing. He wanted to know if I would lie. "No," I answered. "She comes from Bon Temps."

"Ah, yes," he said as if he'd suddenly remembered. "Bon Temps. All quaint, little towns look the same to me. Tell me," he began. "Do you know where they've gone?"

"I'm in a fucking cell, Appius!" I yelled at him. "How in the fuck am I supposed to know where they are? You took me! You're holding me captive! I'm a fucking kidnap victim, and you're asking me to answer questions that I don't have the answers to! I don't know her family! I've never met them! We don't plan vacations together, and we don't have dinner on Sundays! I don't know where they are! I don't know what she is! I don't know if she's bonded to Eric! I don't fucking know! I am here with you!"

"No need to get all testy," Appius said. "I was just asking."

"I can't tell you anything that I don't know."

He nodded as he glanced at me. "I've heard of her mother. A delightful woman. She seems to really love her daughter. From what I've learned, the girl has cut all ties with her." He lifted his hand and said, "I know that you don't know. You've been kidnapped."

"Exactly," I said as I returned to the bed to lie down. I propped myself up on the pillows and thought of what I'd learned. Appius has been looking for Sookie's family. I'm not sure if he knows that she's part fae, but he could already know and he's trying to get info out of me. I don't know if her mom is aware of what Sookie's bloodline is. Maybe her mom doesn't know because they don't trust her enough to tell her and obviously they were right not to trust her. Apparently, she's betrayed her daughter for whatever it is that Appius has offered her. That stupid woman has no idea who she's dealing with, but she'll learn soon enough.

"What do you know, Pamela?" he asked as he watched me intently.

"Absolutely nothing," I answered. "You took me before I got a chance to know the girl. I know nothing of her family or her friends, but I'm almost certain that if the king is involved, you can get whatever information you need from him." I smiled because I knew very well that Bill would tell Appius nothing. He would let nothing or no one get in the way of something that he could possibly try to claim as his own. He's a king for goodness sakes.

He sighed. "Sadly, I think that you're telling the truth. My spies have told me that things have intensified with Eric and the girl since you've been gone." He shook his head in disappointment. "I acted too soon."

Curiosity got the better of me and I had to know. "What did you offer her mom to make her betray her daughter? Power … money … status? What did you promise that you're never going to deliver?"

"It hurts my feelings that you doubt everything that I do and say." He almost looked hurt. "No matter what I say, you're not going to believe me, so does it really matter?"

"It does not, and Maxwell," I asked. "What does he want?"

Appius rolled his eyes. "Revenge for a fucking woman that he lost to Eric centuries ago. Some French broad he wanted to claim as his own. Can you believe it? He's pining over a woman that never wanted him. A fucking human," he said. "She killed herself to keep Eric safe. Some townspeople found out what he was and her friend warned her that they were coming. She helped him escape. She covered him with several furs to keep the sun from burning him. She dragged him out in the sunlight and buried him deep in the woods out beyond her home. They captured her and had planned on torturing her to find out where the monster was hidden. They were going to use her against him, but she had other plans. She ended it all before they could get anything out of her."

He shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal. "From what I've been told, Eric came back to save the girl but it was too late." This time, he shook his head; disdain and disgust clearly in his voice. "He risked his life to save that woman, and she was already dead. He killed each and every person that had something to do with her death. Just as I've said all along, Eric is weak."

I was surprised by this sad tale of love. Eric has never told me about this woman. He's never mentioned her to me. "I didn't know."

"Why would you?" he asked. "It's a story of shame."

I glared at Appius but said nothing. There was no point.

He then stood up from his seat and walked towards my cell. He reached into his pocket and removed the key. I quickly stood up from the bed and stared at him. "Why are you coming in here?" I demanded.

He waved his hand at me. "Not for what you think," he assured me. "I haven't slept with a woman since your mother. You have nothing I want. As I said previously, you don't have to fear me. I told you that I'm not here to harm you and I'm not. I'm here to take what's Eric's, and since I don't have the girl with me just yet, you'll have to do."

When the lock clicked, my body tensed. It was close to impossible to hide my fear. "What do you mean?"

He smiled as he pulled the door open with his bare hand. "I'm going to make you mine." His fangs were in full view as he walked towards me.


	42. Chapter 42

**42**

 **The Fight**

 **Hello, everyone! I'm back. I've been working so much, but I've finally had some free time. I'm off for the next two weeks so I'll be able to work on my story a bit more than I have been able to. I hope that each of you know that I appreciate your reading, favoriting, alerting, and reviewing the story. As always, I'd like to thank my wonderfully, patient beta . I appreciate you more than you'll ever know. Thank you so much.**

 **Here we go!**

* * *

It was a mess. It was a complete mess. My shoulders drooped as I stared at the burning building. "I guess we won't be questioning him. He had to have been in there, right? Someone's trying to cover his or her bases." I looked up at Eric and sighed. "What do you think?"

Staring at the blaze, he nodded. "I believe you're right." His hands rested lightly on my shoulders.

There were cops and firemen everywhere. The cops were keeping the bystanders at bay. The firemen were running around with their hoses on full blast and doing their best to douse the flames. People were lingering about and whispering amongst themselves. They were wondering what had happened. Wondering who'd committed arson. Wondering how many people were inside, if there were any survivors. From the looks of the building, I can safely guess that everyone had died. "They got to him before we could question him."

"Killed them all," Eric muttered.

I looked through the crowd as I read minds, studied faces, and nothing or no one stood out. Everyone's thoughts were the same as mine. The culprit didn't stay behind to admire his or her work. I'd almost given up hope of getting anywhere with this crowd, but then I saw him. There he was; an old school friend of mine and he was questioning someone that was sitting in the back of an ambulance, and it was a girl. She was wrapped in a blanket and wearing an oxygen mask. I looked up at Eric and said, "I guess there was one survivor. Stay here."

Before I could walk away, his arm was wrapped around my waist … pulling body closer to his. "Where are you going?"

I pointed at the detective standing in front of the ambulance. "I went to school with him. We went out on a couple of dates a long time ago. He's a pretty cool guy, ya know? Daddy didn't like him. He said that he had a shifty eyed look about him. He was wrong." I shrugged my shoulders. "It didn't lead to anything more than friendship, but he was a good guy, always has been."

Eric growled. "No, you are under my protection and you're not going anywhere without me." I'm thinking that being under his protection wasn't the only reason he didn't want me talking to him.

I smiled as I rested my head on his chest. "Aww," I said. "Your jealousy flatters me, but now's not the time. I can probably get something from him and the girl, but I doubt I can if you're with me."

He frowned at me. "I am a very towering and powerful presence. I'm more than certain that we can get what we need if I'm with you."

I rolled my eyes. "That's the problem. You're an extremely, towering, and powerful presence, Eric. You're intimidating. You're scary. Not everyone's going to see past your power. They won't see _you_." I sighed and added, "I know that's how you want it, but we don't need that right now." I pointed at the two cops that were staring at us. "They're under the impression that you could've done this."

Eric's eyes followed my finger. He stared at them and dropped fang. "Let them think what they want. I don't care."

Their postures stiffened as their hands rested on their guns. Their suspicions grew.

When I turned to face him, I reached up and gently turned his face towards mine. "But I do."

His fangs rescinded and his eyes softened. He almost smiled. He stared at me for a long minute before nodding. "I'll wait here, but I'll be watching."

I reached up and kissed him before walking away. Just as I reached the barrier, one of the cops that was watching Eric stopped me. He wouldn't let me past. "We can't let you through, young lady. This is a crime scene and you don't look like a cop to me." He glanced over my head at Eric. "What are you doing here?"

I pointed at the detective and said, "I know him. I can help him and he knows it. Just tell him that I'm over here and he'll speak to me."

He folded his arms over his chest and stared me down. He didn't budge. He glanced at Eric over my head and smirked. "I don't believe you."

"Oh, come on," I said. "Go ask him. Tell him that Sookie Stackhouse is here and he'll tell you to let me through." I kissed my pointer finger and pointed to the sky. "Cross my heart!"

He pointed at me and said, "Don't move or I'll have you arrested." He pointed from his eyes to mine. "I'm watching you, Miss. Stackhouse." He didn't mention Eric even though he was staring at him over my shoulder.

"I'd expect nothing less from you, Officer." I saluted him and smiled before he turned and walked away to speak to Jack, Jack Leeds. He was two grades ahead of me in school. We had a huge crush on each other. As I previously said, we even went out on a few dates. We had great conversation and the best laughs, but that was it. Our dating relationship never went any further then a few dinners and movies, but our friendship has stood the test of time.

When he graduated and went to LSU, we kept in contact as kids do. He'd come home and we'd hang out at Merlotte's or go to the high school football games. No matter why he came home, he'd always call me to hang out, but after some time, that changed. He met a woman and that was the end of me and him hanging out. Don't get me wrong, he'd still come to Gran's and eat lunch with us (He wouldn't come to my parents' home. As I said, dad didn't like him), but there were no more walks in the park or going to movies. My friend had someone else in his life.

Lily Bard, I've met her, but she wasn't too friendly. She gave me 'the look'. We all know what 'the look' means when a woman gives it to you. Either your outfit is ugly or she doesn't like you. Lily didn't like me and I'm not just drawing conclusions either. Jack told me that Lily doesn't like me. She told him that I was too attractive and too attractive women always wanted someone else's man. He tried defending me, but that only made matters worse, so we did what we had to do. Because he loves her, we agreed to tamp down our friendship. So, that's what we did.

He would come home and we'd have friendly conversations. Not too long after that, we would wave at each other on the street. We'd send each other birthday text messages every year. We'd see each other at Merlotte's when he would be home for the holidays. He'd have Lily with him, so there would be no eating together and catching up.

At first, it was hard seeing him and not being able to tell him about Jason's latest idiotic move or about the new case that dad was working on, but I understood it. He was in a serious relationship and he didn't need me messing things up. To me, we'll always be friends, no matter what happens. Why, you ask? Because he knows what I can do and he's never tried to use it to his advantage. He's worked several high-profile cases and he's never asked for my help and it's wonderful. He's always been a good person. Even before we became friends, he never had a bad thought about me.

As I reminisced about our friendship, I noticed that Jack was whispering to the officer and pointing at the girl. I could only guess that he was going to be her babysitter while he talked with me. He wasn't smiling as he walked in my direction. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that he wasn't happy to see me. You should've seen the frown on his face. I'd never seen Jack look like that.

Regardless of the look on his face, joy filled me as I wrapped my arms around him. "Hi, Jack. It's so good to see you." A jolt of annoyance replaced my feelings of joy. I sighed as I stepped from Jack's arms. "I guess I won't be getting a tattoo tonight."

He chuckled. "I guess not."

"How have you been?" I asked as I folded my arms over my chest.

He ran his hands through his hair as he pointed at the smoking building. "Fine, until tonight."

I pointed at the smoldering building with my head. "What happened?"

He stared at me for a long minute. It was as if he was deciding to answer me. "We don't know how many dead bodies we have and a waitress that claims to know nothing." He looked at the trembling girl. "She was out back in her car when the explosion happened. Smoke break," he added. It was more than clear to see that he didn't believe her.

I glanced at the girl and saw right away that she knew that Jack didn't believe her. It's obvious why. She was lying. I looked behind the building and I was just as confused as Jack appeared to be. Every car behind the building was smoldering. There was no way she was in her car smoking. "Smoking in her car, huh?"

Jack nodded. "That's what I said. How in the hell was she smoking in her car? She would've burned right along with it." His attention went back to the girl, suspicion clearly on his face. "Something's not right." He looked around the parking lot and whomever he was looking for finally caught his eye. "Hey, Pete. Go over there with Tony and keep an eye on that girl, will ya? Take a couple more fellows with you. Scope out the area." He placed his hand on my arm and said, "I need to speak to my friend here for a minute."

"Will do, Jack." Pete pulled a couple of guys with him and did as they were told.

Jack and I walked a few feet away. From the corner of my eye, I saw Eric mimicking our movements. Once we were alone, Jack said, "She's lying to me, Sookie. She gave me a fake name and address." He sighed heavily. "She knows what happened and who did this." He looked down at the ground for a brief second. When he returned his gaze to me, I could see shame and distrust in his eyes. "Why are you here, Sookie?"

"I told you," I answered. "To get a tattoo."

He shook his head no. "That's not who you are. You don't do tattoos. You do cotillions and DGD meetings with your gran. You don't do tattoos. Why are you really here, Sookie?"

Smiling nervously, I said, "I told you why. High school Sookie wouldn't have gotten one, but adult Sookie would and neither Sookie has ever done cotillions, but she doesn't do DGD meetings anymore."

He didn't believe me and he let me know why. "One of my guys went to the store across the way and asked to see their footage from this evening." With his hands on his waist, he stepped closer to me. In my ear, he said, "Michelle was here, Sookie. She was here when the explosion happened."

I shook my head. I had no idea who he was talking about. I must have looked confused, because he answered my unasked question.

He tried his hardest to keep the frustration out of his voice but he failed. "Your mom," he said. "Your mom was here when the building exploded. Is that why you're here? To find out what we know?"

I saw his mouth moving, but I didn't hear anything past 'your mom'. I thought that he was going to say that it was Michelle, that weird girl that we knew in high school. I didn't expect to hear him say that it was my mom. I didn't expect to hear that my mom was at the scene of a crime. A crime scene where people were killed.

"Sookie," he said as he gently squeezed my arm.

"Yeah?"

"Is that why you're here? Do you know something? Are you here to find something out for her?" His voice was laced with suspicion and pity.

I slowly shook my head no. "No. I had no idea. I promise."

He ran his hand through his hair as he sighed. He didn't believe me. "I'm going to have to ask you to come with me to the station. I have to ask you a few questions."

In seconds, Eric was soon protectively standing in front of me. "She's not going anywhere with you. She has no relationship with her mother, therefore, she has no answers to your questions."

"Shit!" Jack exclaimed as he looked up at the towering figure that stood between us. "Where the fuck did you come from!" He looked sheepishly at me and said, "Sorry, Sookie. Forgive my language." To Eric, he said, "You can't be sneaking up on me like that."

"Regardless," Eric said. "She's not going with you."

Jack looked up at Eric, not an ounce of fear in him … well, not anymore. "Step aside, Mr. Vampire. She can speak for herself. She hasn't needed your help since she's been over here. She doesn't need your help now."

Eric didn't budge.

Jack side stepped Eric to look at me. "Is this true?"

"Yes. We no longer speak." Inhaling, I added, "I've cut her from my life for my benefit and I'm okay with that." I straightened my back and stood taller. "It's been a long time coming."

Jack almost looked sorry for me. He knows of my history with my parents. Most of Bon Temps knows of my history with my mom. "I'm sorry about that. I truly am."

"It's okay."

"Your dad?"

"He's been out of town with my grandparents. He and Jason." As far as I know, they're gone. I haven't heard from either of them in a few days.

Jack nodded. "Okay." He then placed his hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay? Have things been good with you?" He glanced up at Eric.

I took Eric's hand before answering him. "I am." It was true. Since meeting Eric, I've never been better. It's nice to have someone, other than my grandparents, on my side. "I've always been proud of who I am and what I can do, but I don't feel so much like an outsider anymore."

Jack studied Eric for a moment. He offered Eric his hand in greeting. "I'm Jack Leeds, an old friend of Sookie's. You treat her right or you'll have to deal with me, Buddy. You got it?"

Eric snorted at Jack's comment. "I'm shaking in my boots." Of course, he didn't shake Jack's hand either.

Jack laughed and I knew that everything was going to be alright. Using my head to point in the direction of the girl, I offered him my services. "She knows who did this."

Jack frowned. He was about to ask how I know if I haven't had any contact with my mom and then it hit him. "Shit!" He slapped his forehead. "I forgot that you can do that thing! I forgot that you're a mind reader." His eyes lit up for only a second. He was soon shaking his head no. "I can't do that to you. I wouldn't do that to you. I know how you felt when your dad would …"

"No," I said as I cut him off. "I'm not being forced to do something that I don't want to do. I'm offering to help you, but only if you want it."

He turned to look at the girl then looked at the smoldering building. He dropped his head before looking at the girl again. Sighing, he finally looked at me. "Okay," he said. "But you can't tell her what you can do. When we go over there to speak with her, don't speak. Just listen. Let me ask the questions."

I agreed. "I can do that, but we need a signal."

Jack placed his hand on his chin. I could see in his eyes that his mind was going a mile a minute.

"I'll be the signal," Eric volunteered.

Frowning, Jack asked, "How?"

Eric looked down at me and when I looked into his eyes, I knew exactly what to do. The bond, we'll use our bond to communicate with Jack. I couldn't very well tell him that so I came up with another lie. I turned my attention to Jack and said, "Eric and I already have a signal when things like this come up. When I learn that she's lying, he'll let you know."

Still frowning, Jack said, "We don't need Eric for that. You can tell me what signal you use and I can do it. You can do that with me."

"I could," I agreed. "But with Eric, he can force the girl to tell the truth. Look at him, he's the most intimidating person out here. If anyone can get the truth out of her, it's him."

Jack almost said no but he finally relented. "Come on."

Eric and I followed Jack to the girl sitting in the back of the ambulance. The cops walked away, but stayed close by. Jack stopped in front of the girl with Eric and me standing behind him. "So," he began. "Are you going to tell me your real name?"

The girl pulled the blanket tightly around her body. "I told you my name. It's Kelly, Kelly Burkett."

I sent a warning through the bond.

"She's lying," Eric bellowed. He inched closer to the girl. I stayed put. "What's your name?"

The girl slowly looked up at Eric. I could see that she was going to try and remain as defiant as possible. "Kelly Burkett."

Eric smiled down at her. "The detective here must be nice to you. It's a part of his job. He can't threaten you or hurt you, because he could lose his pension." He glanced at Jack briefly. "Isn't that correct, Detective Leeds?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, it is."

Eric stepped a bit closer and he was smiling. "I don't have to be nice to you. It's not a part of my job. This isn't even my job. I can threaten and hurt you because I won't lose my pension. Do you believe that I will threaten and hurt you?"

She nodded.

"Now, tell me your real name." He soon dropped fang on her and I could swear that he got taller and scarier. I know that the girl saw what I saw because her demeanor changed.

I think she swallowed her tongue and the rest of the lies she'd planned on telling. "Janella Pryor."

She was telling the truth.

"It's true."

Jack began scribbling in his notepad.

"Who sent you?" Eric asked.

"No …"

"Don't lie to me," Eric warned her. "Remember, I don't have a job or a pension to lose."

Janella looked at Jack to see if he'd help her. He smiled at her and said, "Answer the fucking question. Who sent you?"

She began to cry. "A vampire called Jonathan."

The same Jonathan that was supposed to be protecting Pam. The same Jonathan that didn't die with the rest of the vampires that owed Eric their loyalty. That same Jonathan that's surely going to die for his betrayal.

"Where is he?" Eric asked.

She shrugged her shoulders as she sobbed. "I don't know. He said that he'd come back for me once I'd put the bombs under the cars and in the bathrooms, but he didn't come back. He wasn't out here. He was supposed to be waiting for me."

"Who was in the building?" Jack asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know. He told me to make sure that the Russian guy was in there before the bombs went off." She dropped her head and began to cry. "The workers were in there and three customers. They were teenagers."

Jack was angry, but he held his composure. "Why did you do it? Did he promise to turn you or to give you a shitload of money? Why would you kill them?"

With red swollen eyes, she said, "He has my dad. He's holding him hostage."

She was telling the truth.

"She's telling the truth," Eric shared. He stared at the girl for a long minute before deciding on what to say. "You know that your dad is dead. He was probably dead before you were forced to do the job and if they get to you, you're as good as dead too."

She nodded as she looked at him. "When I didn't see him out here, I figured it out, but I was holding onto hope. I thought that my dad, not the vampire, would be out here waiting for me."

"She's telling the truth," I said once I was standing at Eric's side.

"Pete," Jack called out.

The cop was soon standing at his superior's side. "What's up?"

"Cuff her and take her in," he said. "Don't do it alone. Get that big Were cop to go with you. Make sure you're not alone when you're taking her in. She's connected to vampires."

Pete nodded. "Put her in the silver lined van?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah and make sure to use the silver cuffs and the silver netting to keep her covered. We can't risk her being taken."

Pete was on his walkie and barking orders. In no less than twenty minutes, everything that Jack wanted done was done.

"I guess we'll find another body close by," Jack said. He looked down at the ground as he sent a thought to me. " _That's why you're here with the vampire … because vampires are involved. You didn't just show up like you said_. _You didn't come here to get a tattoo. You lied to me_."

"Yes," Eric and I said. I felt horrible.

"Thanks for your help," Jack said. "Both of you."

"No problem," I said.

"How about we do lunch one day soon?" Jack said as a faint smile appeared on his face. "We can go to Merlotte's and have some deep-fried pickles with a side of mayo."

"Deal," I said. "It was good to see you, Jack."

We hugged each other before going our separate ways.

As Eric and I walked back to the crowd, he asked, "How are you going to have lunch with him? You didn't exchange numbers."

"Because we have no intention of going to Merlotte's," I said. "It's just a polite thing to say when you see someone you used to be friends with."

Eric and I walked to the car in silence. I felt so bad for lying to Jack. It didn't matter that I haven't seen him in God knows how many years. It's always hard to lose a friend. "What's wrong?" Eric asked when we reached the car.

I pointed in the direction of the fire and said, "Jack knows that I lied about why we're here. He thinks that I used him to get the information that we needed from the girl." I sighed. "Which I did."

Eric seemed to not get why I was saddened by it and I didn't have time to explain it. "Let's go home and start fresh tomorrow morning."

Before we could get in the car, that smarmy voice filled the air. "Eric! Sookie! I can't believe that you two are here!"

"Bill," I whispered.

The king laughed. "In the flesh! I know that you're excited to see me, Sookie, so stop playing coy."

I couldn't believe my ears.

"Why wouldn't you, Bill?" Salome asked. "They're looking for Pam and they're going to go wherever they have to go to find what they need." She winked at me. "Hi, Sweetie."

"Hey, Salome."

Eric bowed to the king. I followed suit. "Your Majesty," Eric began. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

I almost threw up right there.

"I need for you to come with me," he said. "I must talk to you about some information that I've discovered. It's of the utmost importance. You need to hear this alone." He then pointed at Salome. "She'll take care of your woman. She'll make sure that no harm comes to her. I give you my word."

Something on Bill's face scared me. It scared me, because he was telling the truth. Eric didn't want to do it, but I let him know that it was okay. "You can go. I'll get my weapons from the car and I'll be safe." I looked at Salome and said, "I'll use them on you if I have to."

Salome laughed. "I'm shaking in my boots."

Eric smirked.

I didn't. "Ha, ha," I said. I wanted to laugh, but I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. After getting my things from the car, I turned to Eric and said, "I'll see you when you get home."

"You will," he promised. "Put your weapons on now."

I did as I was told. I strapped knives to my thighs. I put two daggers inside of my jacket. I had my gun on my hip and the extra wooden bullets in my pocket. It was already loaded with wooden bullets but having extra never hurts. "Ready."

"Kill if you have to and don't feel bad about it."

"I will and I won't. I promise."

He leaned down and kissed me.

"Awww," Salome said. "I think I'm going to throw up all over you." She pretended to put her finger down her throat and gag.

I gave her the finger after Eric broke the kiss. "She's mine," he warned Salome. "I'd hate to kill you if something happens to her."

Bill placed his hand on Eric's shoulder. He stared evenly at Salome as he spoke. "You won't have to. I'll do it." Once again, he was telling the truth. "We must go."

I watched as he and Bill got into the limo. I sighed as they drove away. I looked at Salome and asked, "What are we doing … walking?"

"No, smart ass," she said. "I drove my own car. Bill needed to speak to Eric in private … away from prying ears. I'm not walking anywhere when I can drive. Follow me."

I followed her to her flashy and overpriced car. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Vampires are so over the top. I chuckled as we got in. "Don't adjust the seats. I have them the way I want them. They must fit to my exact specifications."

I frowned at her. "You're driving."

"I know that," she said as she cranked the car and pulled away. "I may have to sit in the passenger's seat some day and I want it to be perfect."

"What if someone has to drive your car and they're taller than you?" I asked.

She stared ahead and said nothing.

"I guess you didn't think of that?"

"Shut the fuck up, Sookie."

I laughed that time.

We made it to Eric's house without incident. Well, sort of. We sat in the car for a long minute, staring at the house. "Why are you just sitting here? Salome asked. "Get the fuck out. I have to patrol the grounds and I can't do it with you sitting in the car."

I looked at Salome and said, "I don't have a key."

"So, why the fuck are we here?" she asked.

"I'm staying with him."

"Well not tonight, Einstein. You don't have a fucking key." She sneered at me. "You realize I've wasted gas and time coming to Eric's house, and you don't have a fucking key. That's rich. That's really, really rich."

"Go to hell, Salome."

Her mouth fell open. "Did you just swear at me?" She laughed heartily and long. "Sookie Stackhouse has been fucked by the Northman and now she's swearing at me. Dick really does change how a person behaves."

I was not going to dignify her vulgar reply with a response. Staring straight ahead, I said, "I have my own apartment and you can take me there."

She nodded. "We can do that." She paused before leaving the driveway. "You know that I'll have to come with you. I can't leave you there alone." For the first time tonight, she was serious. "You're going to have to invite me. I won't hurt you and after I leave, you can rescind my invitation."

"Okay," I whispered. "You can come up."

Again, nothing but silence until we reached my apartment. We got out of the car and there was nothing to fear. There were no minds or voids, and we assumed that everything was safe. We were wrong.

We were attacked from behind. I reached into my jacket and pulled out the first dagger, and stabbed my attacker in the eye and then his throat. When he was down on his back, I was on top of him stabbing until he was no longer moving. I covered in Were blood and believed that I was done. Once again, I was wrong.

Soon, this hurried and frazzled mind was approaching me. He was almost on me, but I was ready.

 _Get her! Get her!_

Before the next attacker could reach me, I shot him in the chest and he exploded right there. I could hear one more mind, but before I could get him, Salome had him. She was covered in blood and she was grinning like an idiot. I've never seen anyone look as happy as Salome did at that moment. "Are you okay?" She was soon running her hands over my body, but not in a sexual way. She was making sure that I hadn't been hurt.

"I'm okay."

She looked at the two attackers that I'd killed and shook her head. "Two?" She shook her head. "You only killed two. I killed four. What were you doing? Fixing your hair or something?"

"I'm not as fast as you are, Salome!" I yelled. "Cut me a break, would you?"

She snorted as she made a phone call. "You're needed. There's a mess." She gave the person the address and hung up without saying goodbye or anything. "Your gift on the fritz or something?"

"No," I said. "I didn't hear them approach. I can't hear vampires, but I can tell that there's a void in the air. I didn't sense a void and didn't hear any voices, I swear."

She nodded. "Okay."

"Barry," I began. "The other telepath, he works for a vampire, and he's had to of told them how to block me out of their minds. That's the only way it's possible for them to sneak up on me as they did. My telepathy always works."

"Barry Horowitz?" she asked. "Is that the telepath you're speaking of?"

I nodded.

Salome then looked around the parking lot. "Let's get inside. Now."

She had to have carried me, because we were in the building in no time. When I opened the door, I knew that something was wrong. There was a void in my apartment. There aren't supposed to be any voids in my apartment. Eric wasn't here. Before stepping inside, I said to Salome, "Someone's here."

She pushed me behind her and said, "Invite me in."

This had turned into one helluva night.


	43. Chapter 43

**43**

 **That's All You Have to Do**

 **Hello, everyone! I apologize for the delay in posting the chapters. I've been going through it and it has not been friendly. My sweet fur baby has passed on and it's killing me inside. I never knew that I could love a dog as much as I love Dennis. It's breaking my heart. Love and grief go hand in hand, I guess.** **I'm trying my best to deal with it, but it's so hard. It's been hard for me to work or write, but I'm trying. Please forgive me for the delay and making you guys wait for so long. I give you my word when I say that I am going to finish the story. I'm not going to rush it either. It may take me a little longer to finish it, but I'll get it done. I have a few chapters that I'd done a couple of months ago and I will get them posted too. Again, I'm sorry for the delay.**

 **As always, I want to thank each of you for reading, reviewing, favoriting me and the store, and alerting to the story. Y'all are wonderful and you make a bad day so much better.**

 **Side note to my wonderful beta. I will let you edit the chapters soon. I need something to preoccupy my mind.**

* * *

If looks could kill, I would have died right then and there. Bill was glaring at me. He and I rode in the back of his limousine … not speaking at first; only glaring. There was no need for words to be spoken. We both knew what had upset up him. The reason for his anger was more than apparent. He knew that there was no chance in hell that he'd ever claim my woman for his own. I know that he wanted to ask me about Sookie and the progression of our relationship. It pleased me to see that he knows that that he can never take her away from me. There was nothing that he could do to break the bond that Sookie and I have. There was nothing that he could do to make her leave me ... even without the bond.

Nothing.

The devil suddenly appeared in me. "Has something upset you, Your Majesty? You seem to be upset." I looked concerned for my king's well-being. After all, he is the leader of the great state Louisiana.

His icy stare was his answer.

Still feeling overjoyed by the king's discomfort, I continued to express my concern for him. "I only asked because you seem to be going through something so harsh, so unforgiving. If you need someone to lend an ear, I am here for you. The only reason for my concern is that you are an important part of our world. You are our king." Smiling, I added, "If I've overstepped my boundaries, please, let me know."

From the look that he gave me, he knew that I was bullshitting him. "I'm fine, Sheriff."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't understand the attitude, but I am happy to hear that you are fine."

He was a fucking liar. He was anything but fine. It seemed that even he couldn't handle his anger. He would sniff the air constantly. He would look at me through hooded eyes … anger seething through him. He was so angry, I could almost smell it. He had many things to say, but he couldn't say them. There was no way in hell he was going to let me know that I'd bested him. And I had bested him.

His glaring stare was steady and even … hate and jealousy was more than evident. I can only imagine the disdain going through his mind as he recalled the many times Sookie has turned down his offers. How she took him to task for his arrogant and high-handed ways. How she let him know that she was mine. The thrill of knowing that the great king Bill Compton has been turned down and taken to task by a faery human was more pleasing than I could have ever imagined. I smiled as I looked at the sound-proof window that separated us from the driver. His feelings of anger almost made me giddy with delight.

Almost. I continued to dazzle the king with my glassy-eyed stare.

"I see that you are quite happy this evening," he said.

There was no expression on my face.

He crossed his legs and placed his hand on his knee. "I can only guess that it's because you have rightfully claimed Ms. Stackhouse as your own. I can smell her on you … in you. The scent of her virginity is quite intoxicating. You must be very proud of yourself."

A gloriously, beaming smile replaced the glassy-eyed stare. I didn't have respond to his statement with words. My smile more than conveyed what I was feeling.

He nodded as he spoke. "So, she is yours."

My smile never faltered as I made Bill aware of what Sookie is to me. "She is my woman."

"And you are hers."

Though it was question, it wasn't posed as one but I answered it anyway. "I am."

Bill cleared his throat. "I've noticed many changes in you since she's been in your life. I say this because when you were at my home with her, you seemed to be lighthearted and calmer than you've ever been. She joked with you and you returned the banter. It surprised me. I've never seen you as are now. You have never been what one would call a happy vampire … though there's really no such thing." He nodded his head as he spoke. "You're different. One would never expect that from you. Your anger is well known in our world, but those days seemed to have past. You are happy."

"I am no different. I am the same vampire that I was last year. Having Sookie in my life, has not changed who and what I am. I am still Eric Northman."

He cocked his head to the side and stared for a brief moment. "No. You're different."

I only smiled.

"Eric, I …"

"Forgive me, your majesty," I interrupted. "If you have requested that I meet with you to discuss my relationship with Sookie, we could have done this at the bar. Why did you need to meet with me … alone?"

He tugged at his suit jacket as he shifted in his seat. "You have a right to wonder why the secrecy. It is because I have some very important information for you. It's information that I believe should only be shared with you." He glanced at his watch before continuing. "I know how private you are about your past life, your human life. I've heard many rumors and I must admit, most of them are quite unbelievable." He chuckled. "The one rumor where you fought to the death with a broad axe while your body was riddled with the arrows of your enemies, that has to be a falsehood. It's not possible." He shook his head in disbelief. "I find that to be quite the fairy tale."

I glared at Bill as I spoke. "That rumor is not a rumor."

He leaned forward and placed his hand on my shoulder as he laughed … louder, longer, and harder. "Even you are beginning to believe the rumors. There is no way that you would have survived such damage to your body as a human." He continued to laugh as he removed his hand from my shoulder. "You'd have bled to death. There's absolutely no way."

I lifted my shirt and showed Bill the permanent scars on my sides and my stomach. I let him see the scars on my back. I showed him to battle wounds remaining on my chest for all eternity. "As I said, it is not a rumor."

Bill's laughter ended as quickly as it began. "Forgive my disrespect, Sheriff. I truly had no idea." He was still staring at my scars as I lowered my shirt. "What did Sookie think of those scars?"

It never dawned on me that they were there and obviously, neither did she. She never mentioned them. I'm not even sure that she noticed them. She could have but she never mentioned them. Proudly, I said to the king, "They didn't bother her at all. She is quite pleased with what I have to offer."

"She is a treasure," he whispered.

"That she is," I agreed.

He sighed. "Well," he began. "Until tonight, your past has always been rumor and innuendo. No one truly knows where you come from or who you are. You're a mystery in the vampire world and that's something that's hard to be in this world. I must admit to you, Eric, that I admire that about you. Your sense of privacy … loyalty. You must've had very encouraging people in your life." He nodded as he continued. "I admire that. That encouragement is something that so few of us ever receive. I gather that's what you get from Ms. Stackhouse ... loyalty, sense of privacy, respect."

I continued to stare at the king and wondered where he was going with his words of flattery and bullshit. I know Bill and I know that he's up to something. Bill is always up to something and it's usually not good. And when he gave me that look, I knew that he knows more than he's letting on. Instead of reaching out and grabbing him by his throat, I waited from him to continue.

He uncrossed his legs as he talked. "I know that you love Pam. She's your child. You two have been together for many, many centuries. I've heard rumors that she's just as old as you are. Some people claim to know that she hasn't been a vampire for no more than five hundred years, but no one really knows … only you and Pam." He then leaned back in his seat and stared at nothing. "I envy the relationship that you have with her. I've not had that luxury in quite some time." He waved his had nonchalantly as he continued. "Yes, my maker was a great maker. She protected us, but I never had what one would call a great life. Things have always been hard for me."

He glanced at his watch once more as he continued. "Don't get me wrong. I've had some great moments, some outstanding moments. My childhood was better than most. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either." He chuckled briefly. "My family had an enormous plantation. I had horses and I had many pets. I would have rather had siblings but that wasn't in the cards for my parents. My mother seemed to have issues with bringing life into this world. They were lucky to have had me."

Were they, Bill? Were they really?

"But that was okay," he continued. "I had the slave children as my siblings and their parents were my extended family. They took care of me. They loved me." He almost looked happy. "My parents were always too busy. They always had something better to do when it came to being a part of my life but that's okay. I understand it now. I understand that Mother had to meet with the ladies on the veranda for mimosas and that my father would have to manage his fields. It was a part of life ... my life. It was something that I had to accept and I have accepted it."

His face told me otherwise.

"Anyway, they were my family ... the slaves and their children. The times that I spent with them, those were great times. The singing and dancing, the storytelling, and the laughter; they were all amazing to me. They had so much going against them, and they were still able to be happy and love each other, and they included me in their lives. They allowed me to be a part of their families. Some might believe that they had no choice, but they did. They could have seen me as nothing more than an obligation … the master's child, but that's not how it was. They loved me. I would stay the night with them in their homes. They fed and bathed me. They tucked me into bed just as they did for their children. To them, I was more than the master's child. I was a child that needed them and they accepted me. Those were the most amazing and gratifying days of my life."

Something new soon appeared in Bill's eyes. "My life changed for the better when I met my wife. My dear Caroline. We were married for eight short years before the call of war came. She gave me two beautiful children during that short time." He pointed me as he said, "Now, that was amazing. My children and my wonderful wife were more than I ever deserved. To see the smiles on their faces, that was the life. They were my glory, my heaven. They were everything." He chuckled as the memories surrounded him in warmth, but it didn't last long.

From the look in his eyes, I could see that he was reliving those times of loss and war. I knew what he was feeling. They're never memorable moments, happy moments. There are never any winners; regardless of what others want you to believe. There's no joy. No laughter. Depending on why you're fighting, there are no real feelings of accomplishment. Only feelings of fear, anger, and everlasting resentment. Death.

"Then there was the war," he said as he glanced at his watch once again. "The war changed everything. As everyone knows, I fought in the civil war. I hated it, but I had no choice. None of us had a choice, really. That's where I lost most of my friends and neighbors." He closed his eyes as he talked. "Their deaths were vicious and bloody. Heads exploding. Limbs being ripped from bodies. Screaming out in agony as their intestines lay on what used to be their stomachs. No one should have to die like that. At least, that's what I used to believe, but we'll get to that later." He winked at me before continuing. "While I was away fighting in a war that I didn't believe in, I lost everything that was dear to me. When my father released the people from their servitude, he gave them money and he gave them land. He gave them acres of his land. He said that he owed that to them. He told them that they were no longer property but free men, women, and children. He told them that they could continue to work the plantation, but they would receive wages for their hard work. When I learned of what my father had done, I was so proud him. I'd never been prouder. In my eyes and on that day, my father was a hero. He was my hero." A faraway look appeared on his face. The mood suddenly changed.

"Some of the town's people didn't think so. They murdered the families that my father had set free; men, women, and children. They were angry because my father gave them what they so rightly deserved, what they'd earned. They were angry that my father gave them their freedom. Killed them all in the dead night; the slaves, my parents, my wife and my children."

I could tell what was coming next.

"I returned home to a town that killed my family because they were unhappy with the way things had gone." He almost looked surprised. After all these years, he almost looked surprised. "I don't understand how they were thinking, what they were thinking. I don't understand why they thought they would get away with what they'd done. I don't know what made them believe that I would forgive such malice ... such hate."

I knew why. I'd been there. I gazed into Bill's eyes as I answered his rhetorical question. "Maybe they needed to feel a sense of accomplishment, a sense of being. No one enjoys war. No ever wins a war. But to feel human again after taking so many lives, you need something to hold on to, to believe in. They killed your family because they couldn't accept their fate, what was to come. They couldn't accept that the world that they knew was suddenly gone." I raised my hand in silence when I noticed the look on Bill's face. "I'm not saying that they were right. They weren't. Whatever came to them, they deserved but maybe, they believed they had no other choice. Everything they'd ever known was gone, and it was easy to blame the man that was willing to follow the new world order."

Bill stared out into the distance before answering. "Maybe you're right."

I continued to stare at the king, and I wanted to find deception in what he was saying. I couldn't. I watched him; his body language, his eyes. I listened closely as he spoke and there was no sign of deception. He was being honest with me, and I didn't know why. I still didn't trust it. "Why are you telling me this? Why do you feel the need to share your human life with me?" I shook my head in disbelief. "We've never been friends, or even friendly for that matter. We're not even associates. I've always hated you. You have never hidden that you loathe me and now you decide to share your life with me. Again, I ask why."

He crossed his legs as he rested his hands on his ankle. "You're absolutely right. I do hate you; especially now that you have something that I want, but what can you do, right? I've never been one to share with others. I've told you things that I haven't even told Salome, but because of your precarious situation, I feel that it's necessary." He seemed to sit impossibly taller in the back of the limo. "How long have we known each other, Eric?"

"A couple hundred years or so, I do believe," I answered. "Give or take a few years. We met for the first time in Belgium."

Bill smiled as nodded. "We were at Guinevere's ball. Remember Wilson?"

As soon as he mentioned Wilson's name, laughter filled the car. "He was … different … even for a vampire." Wilson came to the ball wearing a pink ball gown and a powdered wig. His date was dressed as King Henry the VIII.

The king's eyes lit up as he talked about the vampire. "Wilson was an amazing vampire and an even more amazing friend. He was always smiling and happy, but he was also vicious when he had to be. He didn't know fear." The smile slowly faded from view. "He was my brother … my vampire brother."

Now, that was news to me. "I'm sorry for the loss of your brother. Did Lorena ever learn the name of the vampire that killed him?"

"No," he answered. "She met the true death without ever knowing. Wilson is why I'm here with you tonight. We shared blood and a maker. She turned him a few months after turning me. She found him roaming the streets one night. It was wintertime and it was freezing cold. There was snow on the ground. My brother was living on the streets. He was starving and had no one else. He would beg people for a place to stay, but no one would help him. There wasn't a decent human in the bunch. Lorena took pity on him. She brought him home. She let him live with us. He was the help at first. She wanted to make sure that she could trust him, and over time, she learned that she could. She adored him. She loved Wilson. He was amazing."

"He was."

Bill smiled. "And he's gone. My maker is gone and I'm all alone in this world."

"You have Salome."

With a cocked eye, he reiterated, "I'm all alone."

He glanced at his watch once more. This time, he tapped on the glass that separated us from the driver.

The limo stopped.

"That's why we're here. Vengeance. As I said earlier, we all need vengeance. It soothes the soul." He sighed. "The men that killed my family, I killed them all with my maker's help. We ripped them to shreds after draining them of their blood. We killed their wives and their children in front of them. They needed to see the life leave the eyes of the ones they loved so dearly. Oh, and they didn't die quickly. We made sure of that. My family … my parents, my wife, my children, and my extended family weren't killed quickly. They had to know what I felt when I saw my family's mangled bodies lying in their beds as if they were sleeping. I had to scrub their blood from the walls and floors. I had to bury their bodies alone. The bodies of my extended family, they were hanging from trees. Some were burned beyond recognition. Babies had their heads bashed in. Children with their innards wrapped around their necks. The women's bodies were mutilated, ripped apart. And the men, their bodies were in pieces. No man should ever have to see what I'd seen or do what I had to do, and those men, they had to pay for what they'd done." With his voice dripping with anger, he said, "That was a glorious day." He frowned for a brief second. "You know, I used to think that I couldn't kill children but after the lives of my children were taken, I had no problem with returning the favor. It was easy. It was much easier than I thought it would be."

I'd enjoyed his tale of loss and vengeance, but it was getting on my nerves. I needed to know what was going on. I needed to know why the car had suddenly stopped. I needed to know now. "Tell me where we are and why we're here."

He fanned his hand at me. "I was getting to that, Mr. Impatient. Just allow me a little more leeway. Family and friends, and even lovers are vital parts of our lives. We need them; especially because we're vampires. The loneliness can be deafening. We walk this world for many, many centuries, many millennia, and most times we do it alone but then, something changes." He soon had a look of longing on his face. "I'm always surrounded by underlings or equals that want or need something from me. I miss the days of being with my human and vampire families. I know what it means to need family with you in this world. I know what Pam means to you. I know that you need Pam just as much as she needs you."

I stared at him as I said, "Make yourself a companion."

He smiled as he repeated, "You need Pam just as much as she needs you."

I was suddenly on edge. Everything that Bill was saying replayed in my mind. I got out of the car and the limo had stopped at a three-way intersection. There were no street signs, only trees. The strong scent of honeysuckle filled the night air. The sounds of the night surrounded us but there was nothing to indicate where we were. A chill suddenly went through me.

From inside the car, Bill said, "Get in, Eric."

And I did as I was told. "Where the fuck are we?"

"You'll know soon enough."

I dropped fang on him and I was going to drain him of every drop of his rancid blood if he didn't tell me what was going on, but something stopped me. The gun that was surely loaded with wooden bullets, and it was aimed at my chest, was the reason I thought long and hard about what I thought I was going to do.

He fanned me off once more and said, "You're overreacting, Eric, but I will kill you if I have to. Now, I'm doing us both a favor, especially you. Put your fangs away. I've brought you here because I know where Pam is. Well, I think I know."

With my hands clinched in fists, I asked, "What the fuck do you mean when you say that you _think_ you know?"

He shifted in his seat. "You must calm down, Eric. We can get this settled if you'd just calm yourself down. My only goal here is to get you back with your child and give you the vengeance that you rightly deserve. And as your king, I am trying to do that for you." He shook his head in fake disappointment. "I can't believe that you don't trust me. I've shared my life with you, and you want to make me out to be the bad guy."

My jaws tightened. "It's because you are, Bill. For the two hundred or so years that I've known you, I've never trusted you. Tonight, has only increased those feelings of distrust."

He glared at me. "Are you willing to work with me to get Pam back home?"

If there was any chance that he could help us get Pam back, I had to hear what he had to say, but I sure as hell wasn't going to agree to anything until I heard what he has to offer. "What do you have?"

He tugged at his jacket and said, "Good. I'm glad that you've decided to calm down and listen to me." Though he seemed to relax, he still held the gun in his hand.

"Tell me what you have."

He waggled his finger at me. "Do you not know me at all, Eric? You will not get the information that quickly, my friend."

With my fangs drawn, I said, "We are not friends."

He shrugged his shoulders. "You're right, but it sounded good when I said it." He had the gall to smile. "Maxwell is a very strong vampire. You know this for yourself. His verve and fight are why he was a part of your retinue, but he's old and he's strong," he said as he pointed at me. "I heard that you are fantastic at torturing other vampires … and humans. You don't discriminate. Do you love Pam?"

I didn't answer because he knows.

He sighed. "Do you want to keep her safe?"

His words brought a smile to my face. "Pam is a very skilled fighter. Nothing will keep her from fighting for her freedom. Nothing will keep me from fighting for and finding her."

Bill glared at me. He shoved the gun back into his jacket pocket. "Are you saying that you don't want her back?"

I refused to dignify that with an answer.

"I can assume that you don't want her back."

I scooted closer to Bill; not fearing the gun or the wooden bullets at all. "If you're going to kill me, kill me, but know this, Bill. I will not allow you to fuck with me any longer. I will find Pam with or without you. Your games aren't beneath you. I wouldn't expect anything else from you." I placed my hand on the door handle. "And for your information, Pam is safe. I leave the bond fully open so that I can feel her, but I will not let you use her captivity against me."

He looked surprised. "Are you saying that you don't want her back?"

"No."

He stared at me for a long minute. "We know where Maxwell Lee is."

I removed my hand from the door handle and sat back in my seat. "Where is he?"

He pointed me and smirked. "I knew that would get to you. I will give him to you, if you give me Sookie. If you don't give Sookie to me, you won't get Maxwell." He looked at his watch once more. "We don't have a lot of time, Eric. Tell me what you want. Do you want Pam or Sookie?"

And just like that, my phone began to chime.

It was Thalia.

I smiled as I looked at the king. "I think I'll take them both."


End file.
